As a homeowner noticing foundation cracks is important! Spotting these is a critical step to maintaining your home value, and the structural integrity of your house.
Foundation cracks can lessen the value of your home and cause basement leaks if not treated appropriately.
Foundation cracks can lessen the value of your home.
Cracks in basements can also affect the value of your home. Cracks are an indication that something is structurally wrong with it, and that’s why you need to fix them. That being said, cracks aren’t always an issue (they do not always mean foundation failure) and they can be caused by a number of other things.
Cracks can occur because the foundation has settled or because there is hydrostatic pressure (pressure from water) pushing against the wall. In some cases, cracks are simply caused by poor workmanship during construction which leads to inferior materials in the foundation.
The point here is that you need to have someone come out and inspect your basement walls so they can tell you what exactly is causing them to crack in the first place before you attempt any repairs yourself.
Cracks in your basement may indicate a more serious structural problem.
Cracks in your basement may indicate a more serious structural problem.
Fixing cracks with a foundation crack repair kit doesn’t fix the underlying problem and can create additional problems in your basement.
Examples of other issues that may be present include:
- Water leaks or flooding
- Pest infestation (including spiders and centipedes)
- Mold growth
- Structural damage
There’s no way to know if you’ve applied enough or too much resin.
You need to buy enough epoxy (the resin) to repair your foundation cracks. The problem is that hard-to-source, clear epoxy can be expensive. Plus it’s hard to know how much epoxy you’ll need on multiple foundation cracks of varying sizes and depths.
With a DIY kit, there’s no way that you can be sure if you’ve applied enough, but with a professional contractor through Wise Crack’s foundation repair service, we’ll provide you with an accurate estimate for all your foundation crack repair needs.
DIY crack repair kits are not a permanent fix.
In the scenarios we discussed, why would you want to try to apply a DIY solution to a foundation crack? There are lots of reasons, but the most important one is to prevent or stop basement leaks. Choosing not to repair an internal crack could mean missing a warning sign and ultimately have unwanted home issues like mold or structural damage.
That’s why it’s so important for homeowners with cracked foundations to call in a professional foundation repair contractor for a second opinion before you start trying any DIY fixes.
They don’t have a long shelf life, so it’s hard to be sure how long the epoxy has been sitting on the shelf in the store.
Of course, if you visit a construction supply store and pick up a crack repair kit off the shelf, you might be buying a product whose epoxy has expired. The box stores don’t know how long the product will be sitting on the shelf before someone purchases it and uses it.
When these products expire, they’re supposed to be returned to the manufacturer and taken off of the store shelves. But sometimes this doesn’t happen because mistakes are made or logistics become too complicated and expensive to work out (especially when dealing with international sales).
There are many injection repair kits with different compounds used.
You have a lot of foundation crack repair kits to choose from. They all use different compounds and are used in different conditions. Some can be used in wet or dry conditions.
Others need the area around the crack to be completely dry before they can be injected into the crack. There are also kits that use either epoxy or polyurethane products, and you should know which compound will work best for your foundation crack repair job.
Epoxies harden once they’re injected into the crack, but they don’t expand like some other compounds do. Because of this, if there is any type of movement in your foundation after a repair job with epoxy, the injection material could crack and the problem will occur again.
Polyurethanes can expand many times their original size after being injected into a crack, so when movement occurs in a foundation that has had repairs done with this material, it’s more likely to flex instead of cracking.
There are better ways to fix water leaks than foundation crack repair kits.
When homeowners see foundation cracks, they can’t wait to start repairing their home. However, while the task may seem simple enough—get a foundation crack repair kit and follow the directions—there are better ways to fix water leaks than using a foundation crack repair kit. Here’s what you should know about this method of crack repair:
- The injection repair method is not suited for hairline cracks in your basement walls. If you have such a crack, it’s best not to use this type of kit, as it can cause more harm than good.
- Professional polyurethane concrete crack injection kits have multi location injection ports that allow for multiple injections in one sealing stop. This saves time and money by only needing one application rather than several applications with single port kits. It also provides greater access through the wall which makes repairs last longer and more effective overall.
You can find products in the stores for filling cracks in concrete walls. However, these products can fail after just a few years if your foundation continues to move.
While these products can be temporarily effective for small cracks. They can fail after only a few years if your foundation continues to move. Also, patching does nothing to stop the underlying cause of the crack. Cracks can be either structural (an issue with the load-bearing capacity of your foundation) or non-structural (caused by shrinkage due to ground settling).
Fixing a structural problem requires professional help. A contractor who specializes in foundation repair will have the knowledge and tools necessary to assess what kind of repair work is needed, identify whether any other areas are at risk and apply the best possible solution.
The bottom line: If you think you’re experiencing a structural problem with your home’s foundation, make sure you get a second opinion before going ahead with any major repair work.
A professional crack repair expert should be contacted to inspect your home.
It’s important to contact a foundation crack repair expert (like Wise Cracks!) as soon as you notice the problem. A professional can determine whether a crack or cracks are structural or just cosmetic, and what solution is best for your home.
Inspecting problems in walls, floors and ceilings usually requires removing coverings, such as drywall, flooring or carpets—but that’s our job. We’ll get to the root of the issue and make the necessary repairs before filling and painting any holes.
By contacting a foundation crack repair expert at the first sign of trouble, you may save time and money by nipping an issue in the bud. It’s important to consult a professional who can determine whether a crack is major or minor before you go ahead with repairs.
