Even if you are not using your basement for anything important, proper basement maintenance is vital to ensure that your property is safe. One of the most common problems in Buffalo basements is basement wall cracks. Some people assume that just because a basement is below ground wall repairs are not important. This is very untrue, and believing it is very unsafe.
Without proper basement waterproofing, basement wall cracks, leaks, warping, or spalling (weathering of the concrete surfaces caused by increased moisture in the air) may occur. Other reasons for wall cracks may include a lack of support, penetration of tree roots, or poor original building quality in general.
Wall Cracks Before
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Repaired Wall Cracks After
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Our exclusive waterproofing process is a totally unique and effective time-tested method performed by our highly trained technical staff. Our method seals poured concrete wall crack leaks at the "SOURCE" between the foundation and the earth without costly or messy digging, allowing us to leave a neat, clean wall crack repair.
Repairing Basement Wall Cracks
Household adhesive polymers like Epoxy (Polyepoxide) or Urethane (Polyurethane) can be applied as interior sealants to the basement wall cracks in climates like the one we have here in Buffalo. After hardening, these sealants solve the problem almost immediately by blocking off the leakage and will last for almost a decade if applied correctly.
Polymers are very common and are not affected by soil and natural groundwater chemicals. Applying polymers is the fastest and most cost-efficient way to solve the problem. However, we do not recommend sealants as a long-term solution if the cracks are caused by hydrostatic pressure. We may also use 'dry pack' mortar (a rigid sand-type cement mortar) if the basement wall cracks are too big for polymers but too small to warrant large-scale reformation.
Problem Basement Wall
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Fixed Basement Wall
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If the basement wall cracks are severe and the foundation has been assessed structurally unsound, we suggest re-doing the foundation. This requires placing jacks, wall anchors, pilasters, or braces to support the walls. First, the walls must be supported from the inside. After that, the area around the outer wall will be dug out. Next, the braces can be tightened to push the slouching walls from the inside outwards to straighten them out.
Once our Buffalo contractors check that the wall is straight, we will apply a polymer foundation coating using either of the two polymers mentioned above. If concrete blocks support your house, rebar is inserted in between, and a thin mortar mixture is applied between the blocks' spaces.
