4/11/2024 0 Comments Concrete block repair![]() ![]() The continual pressure eventually will push the wall back into its original position. One intriguing variation of this system is the Gorilla Brace, which claims to “not only repair bowing walls, but will actually push them back again.” Nationwide Reinforcing markets “The Force” which works on a similar principle.īraced off of three floor joists (instead of just one), the Gorilla Brace uses a powerful spring that exerts almost 1000 pounds of lateral force. The top of the beam is braced off the joists. Steel I-Beams, set every four to five feet along the wall, are the traditional solution to fixing bowing. Others will actually remove a small portion of the concrete slab, place the beams on the footer, and then pour new concrete around the steel to anchor it into place. ![]() Some contractors will bolt the bottom of the beam to the floor. Steel Beams: Long considered the “standard fix” for bowed walls, this method involves anchoring a steel I-beam to the top and bottom of the wall every four or five feet to stop the bowing. But in the past few years, new technologies have been developed that make CMU foundation repair less invasive, less expensive, and less visible than ever before. Basically, steel or concrete piers are driven or screwed into the soil, then attached to the house to eliminate settling.įor bowed walls, traditional solutions involve steel beams or wall anchors. (See Fixing Failing Poured Wall Foundations in the Spring ‘08 issue, pp. ![]() This complex topic is explained in Part I of this story. In many cases, underpinning is also an option. If experts determine the cracking is caused by settling soils, these range from simply filling the cracks with epoxy or foam to a complete rebuild of the wall. It looks like a settlement crack, but it’s really just a bowing problem,” he says. Thompson gives this example: “When a crack caused by bowing gets within two to three feet of a corner, it will begin stair-stepping to the corners of the room. LaCroix cautions that it’s wise to get a professional opinion on the cause of cracking before making any decisions. A stair-step crack wider at the top than the bottom is a typical sign of settling. These cracks usually start at a weak point in the wall, like a window or door opening, and run the entire height of the wall. They usually indicate one part of the home has settled faster than another, which can cause major structural damage. Stair-step cracks, which extend diagonally across the wall in stair-step pattern, are much more serious. He notes that these cracks are usually the easiest ones to fix. “Most older block walls are bowed about a quarter inch in the middle,” says Andre LaCroix, president of StablWall Wall Bracing. So called “frost line” cracks look similar and form at the height of the exterior frost line.īowing is extremely common. This bowing can be caused by hydrostatic pressure (poor drainage), or expansive soils. Long horizontal cracks-usually a single horizontal crack in the center two-thirds of the wall-indicates pressure outside the building pushing the wall inward. “A big part of that is knowing what to look for and how to read a crack.” “The first step in any basement wall repair project is figuring out the cause of the problem,” says Bob Thompson, P.E. The pattern of these cracks can reveal much about the underlying cause of the problem. Identify the ProblemĬMU walls nearly always crack along the mortar joints. Regardless of why they crack, a number of solutions exist. ![]() In some regions, such as the Upper Midwest, nearly 80% of basements have CMU walls.ĬMU foundations crack for many of the same reason poured walls do: differential settling, backfilling too soon, expansive soils, tree roots, hydrostatic pressure, etc. They have plenty of strength, and in most areas the installed price is comparable. They’re more versatile than poured concrete, and easier to alter-both during construction and in the future. In many parts of the country, foundations and basement walls are constructed with concrete masonry units (CMU), also called concrete block or cinder block.ĬMU foundations offer a number of advantages. ![]()
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