Atlanta Home Inspector Gives Advice About Foundation Cracks

You expect a leak or a crack to be in an older home

, right? Especially ones with concrete block foundations. Houses settle over time. Sometimes the grade pitch changes and the house can shift.

But did you know that poured concrete floors and walls are just as likely to crack?

In fact, when you have cracking in a solid concrete wall or floor, it is almost a guarantee that the crack is not just on the surface. Most likely it goes all the way through, even up to nine inches. That can be a definite problem. With cracks come not only structural integrity issues but the chance for water to seep in as well.

So yes, cracks and leaks can be all that bad. You need to have them inspected and possibly repaired. But please do not think slapping some concrete on the front and cosmetically sealing the crack is going to do the trick. Far from it. It may actually do more damage if water leaks are present. Sealing it off at the surface may cause hydrostatic pressure to build. Concrete is porous and water will find it's way through.

Home Inspectors could tell you stories of the things they have seen homeowners stuff in cracks or areas around where pipes come into their basements. Gum, steel wool, even newspaper are frequently used.

Hydraulic cement is a common repair material, but it is not good for cracks that may have water leakage associated with them. And in most areas of the country, if you have a crack, water is going to find it. The cement is way too rigid so as the pressure builds, it will place stress on another area near the crack. You just very well may have a larger crack or leak pop up in the near future. Yeah, we know. Frustrating.

So, what can you do? Hire a professional. It may require a home inspection but is worth the money. Foundation repair experts have special materials designed to ooze into the cracks and give it a waterproof seal. The professionals have the expertise and tools to inject polyurethane into the area. It is flexible enough to tolerate the pressures that foundations and walls can withstand.. Not every foundation repair person will use this method. However, polyurethane injection has been used in sea walls, water treatment plants and tunnels. These commercial applications have a lot more PSI (pounds per square inch) pressure on them than the average

residential wall or home foundation.

If you use cheap methods and cheap materials, you will, well get what you pay for. On the other hand, you can spend thousands of dollars on trying to stop cracks and leaks around the areas where pipes and water leaks are entering. There is a happy medium. Ask your waterproofing professional if they use polyurethane injections. Your home is most likely the biggest investment you will ever make. Using the same material that large industrial projects use just makes sense. It is not that time consuming to inject, nor is it that expensive. But more than that, it is the best solution for cracks and leaks. Isn't that the most important thing?

by: Ken Compton

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