Cracked Basement Walls?

Have you checked on your basement after the rainy season? Because of soil expansion and improper drainage cracks will form on basement walls. Wall cracking will lead to costly foundation problems for homes near Toledo, Ohio. Toledo Basement Repair investigates why basement walls are cracking and what to do to prevent the damage.

Soil Expansion

One of the major causes of wall damage is soil expansion outside of the home applying excess pressure to the walls. If rainwater does not properly drain from the home excess water collects near the walls and will damage your home. Clay dirt is especially susceptible to expansion as it has a higher capacity to higher pressure against the basement walls. The pressure of the soil against the walls and the moisture held in from the rainwater is the perfect formula for creating cracks in basement walls. So how do you stop it?

Proper Drainage

Proper drainage of the property leads the water away from the lower levels. Exterior drains are necessary to move excess water away from walls and prevent the land from sucking it all up. Waterproofing your downstairs area is an essential step to preventing damages to your foundation. Make sure you plug and seal holes in the walls. Keep an eye out for mortar damage or broken blocks which can increase the chances of walls breaking down. Using a waterproofing finish on the inside walls helps prevent water damage on the inside of the home.

The best way to protect your walls is with a sump pump. Sump pumps are designed to prevent groundwater from getting into the basement. Sump pumps collect water from around the foundation and the lower level walls and hold them until the pump is full enough. Then the sump pump flushes the water through pipes safely away from the home. However, malfunction of these pumps can lead to a flooded home, and if the flooding is unknown to the homeowner, cracks in the walls and foundations can develop rather quickly.

Repair with Wall Pushbacks

Once cracking begins, the basement needs a professional evaluation to determine the cause of the damage. Walls that have been pushed inward by pressure can be repaired with a bracing technique known as Wall Pushbacks. During these repairs, the foundation is excavated, and the outside walls repaired and adjusted to place the walls back where they originated. Once they are in place a series of braces are installed to keep the wall in place.

Services available to Toledo, Ohio, and the surrounding area

We can help cracks in walls and offer free estimates of all waterproofing and cellar requirements. Once estimated, a discount of 10% with Toledo Basement Repair is available for the next service. The services we offer include basic repairs, placement of the sump pump, required egress windows, waterproofing, and remodeling. We understand that Covid-19 affects all of us and will provide additional safety precautions for the duration of our visit. Contact Toledo Basement Repair for a quote. Also, check us out on Facebook.