There are many problems that you can experience with the basement or foundation of your building.
Cracks, bowing walls, and water leaks are a few such problems that are usually experienced.
If you detect a problem with your foundation, then you should repair it right away to avoid damage to both the building and the people living there.
The repair may take a bit of time and effort, but it will definitely help you in the long run. Following are some tips that you can follow to repair your damaged basement.
A Complete Overhaul
A complete overhaul of your foundation becomes necessary when the walls have deteriorated. In such a case, you can think of rebuilding your walls.
Depending upon the extent of the damage, the wall can be either partially rebuilt or completely rebuilt. To avoid putting extra damage on the building during the process, your walls will be jacked up temporarily.
Repair a Water Leak
A leak in a pipe line can cause a great deal of damage to a foundation. To fix a leak, you must dig along the outside foundation wall, all the way to the very bottom.
After fixing the leaky pipe or replacing it with a new one, the foundation has to be covered again. This is to be done by using foundation tar and cement plaster.
This repair takes a period of several days to get completed.
Straightening of Walls
Wall straightening is a technique that is used when there is a crack formed in the wall due to the slight bowing of the blocks. In this method, wooden posts are inserted into the wall.
This is done so as to vertically align the wall. When the walls regain their vertical position, holes are drilled in the core of the blocks.
Following this, a steel bar of 16 inches is placed inside the block. After that, the holes are filled with concrete and re-plastered using cement.
Concrete Crack Injection
To repair cracks in a foundation, you can follow the concrete crack injection method.
This method is best suited in cases where the cracks aren’t caused by serious structural problems and they are minor in nature.
In this method, a solution of polyurethane is injected directly into the cracked area of the foundation.
The injection is done with the help of a port. This solution will then expand and close the crack completely.
Use Wall Plates
Wall plates are used when the basement cracks due to the bowing and bulging of the blocks.
In this method, wall plates are attached to the foundation wall and anchors are buried outside the foundation wall. These structures are connected later using steel rods.
This technique of repair reinforces the foundation and also prevents the formation of cracks in the future.
Protection from Termites
Termites can cause serious damage to a concrete foundation. You should always look for termite tunnels if you have a concrete foundation.
If termites are present, then you can use soil poison to eliminate them. Soil poison will be available at most garden stores.
If there is a termite attack repeatedly, then you better seek the services of an exterminator.
Joe is an expert in DIY, keeping basements waterproof and foundations strong.
He’s worked on all types of buildings and across all sorts of climates to alleviate any problematic issues in a building and its structure.