Cracked Foundation Repair

Foundation cracks are a serious problem that many homeowners face. When homes settle or soil expands cracks are formed. Read more to find out how cracks are formed and how they affect your foundation.
Foundation walls are the base and strength of your entire house. They extend into the ground and transfer the weight from the columns and walls in a home to the bedrock or soil underneath it. It is critical that foundation walls are constructed correctly as they are a crucial part of a home's overall stability. If there are problems with your foundation, they will most likely trickle up and cause other structural problems throughout the rest of your home as well.
Usually foundation walls are constructed out of poured concrete, but can also be made out of bricks, blocks or stones. Whatever material it is, it must be able to hold a large load as the entire home will be built on top of the foundation walls.
Cracked Foundation
Cracks in a foundation are detrimental not only for your basement, but also for your entire home. They can be formed in many different ways and for many different reasons, and if you see a crack in your foundation it is important to keep an eye on it and get it fixed.
Expanding or detracting soil is one possible cause of a cracked foundation. When there is a lot of water in the soil it expands which causes the foundation to slightly shift. If this keeps occurring over time, a crack will most likely appear in your foundation. Much the same, if the soil is very dry it will shrink causing the foundation to shift in certain places and likely form a crack as well.
Some other possible causes of cracks in foundation walls include plumbing leaks, improper compaction of fill soil, poor drainage, improper expansion control joints, rapid concrete curing, premature backfilling, uneven moisture around the foundation, improper concrete mix, or premature removal of concrete forms. All of these problems may seem insignificant at first, but have the possibility of causing major foundation damage.
There are two types of foundation cracks to look out for- vertical and horizontal cracks. Vertical foundation cracks are typical in a poured concrete foundation wall. They are caused by shrinkage which occurs as the concrete cures and can be restored by a simple polyurethane foam injection. Horizontal foundation cracks usually come about when the soil expands and there is pressure on the foundation walls. These horizontal cracks could turn into bowing and other structural damage as well.