The Basics of Foundation Crack Repair

Foundation crack repair is not simply solving an aesthetic issue but for the safety of your house and your investment. For whatever reason that you need foundation crack repair, you need to do it as soon as possible before more damage will occur. Foundation crack repair has already become a billion dollar a year business because almost every house's foundation have issues that needs to be repaired.
There are many reasons why you needed foundation crack repair done. The most frequent type of cracks is caused during construction by failure to provide sufficient working joints to accommodate drying shrinkage and thermal movement. Also common are those cracks caused by structural settlement, overload or earthquakes. Most cracks are formed in the first 30 days of the pouring of the concrete structure. Other causes are increase hydrostatic pressure and soil setting. For problems like these, immediate attention is necessary because the longer the breaks persists, the more likely that your foundation will develop structural damage that is more difficult to repair than ordinary foundation crack repair. Depending on the nature and severity of your foundation issues, there are appropriate solutions that are available.
The most common solutions that are used in foundation crack repair are poured concrete, injected epoxy, vinyl board, polyurethane elastomeric foam injection and crystalline waterproofing agents. These solutions apply to a specific foundation crack repair method that is perfectly suited to the foundation problem. For example, polyurethane elastomeric foam injection is best when concrete structural integrity is not a problem but there is water leakage. The latest of these foundation crack repair solution was developed from a US Army Corps of Engineers’ dam repair process. It is called the A-1 foundation crack repair where holes are drilled into the cracks at an angle and a closed cell polymer resin is sprayed into the holes. Appropriate for both structural and nonstructural repairs, this process completely seal the crack with a dynamic material able to expand and contract as needed, ensuring a long-lasting repair.
But before you go ahead with your foundation crack repair, it is wise to have your foundation issues assessed by an expert so that you will know what is best to be done with your foundation issues. This will not only save you money but saves time and effort as well. The experts can also recommend if you really have to do foundation crack repair immediately or you have to prepare for it.
Whatever foundation crack repair method you choose, keep in mind that each solution has its own advantages and disadvantages. You also have to take into consideration your areas' climate issues because it plays a role in the foundation crack repair method that you will use. For example, if you live in areas where there is an extreme seasonal temperature fluctuation, your foundation is constantly contracting and expanding. Any foundation crack repair solution that you choose should be able to withstand the constant changes or else, your efforts will be for naught.


Thomas Romcik is the author of this article on The Basics of Foundation Crack Repair .Find more information about Foundation crack repair here.