Foundation Wall Crack Repair: Vertical Cracks

Basement Systems, Inc., a leader in basement and foundation repair, outlines the problems with DIY foundation crack repair and describes how the FlexiSpan wall crack repair solution is designed to prevent a vertical crack in a home's foundation from worsening.

Vertical cracks in a foundation occur most often due to poor construction practice or when foundation concrete shrinks and cures. These cracks are common in both newly constructed homes and in older ones. While vertical wall cracks in the foundation do not often lead to structural issues as often as horizontal cracks, they commonly leak water from the foundation outside into the basement or crawl space area. In fact, this water flow can be so heavy that some customers call in saying that water was literally squirting into the house!

No one wants to live in or buy a home with a leaking foundation wall crack. Damaged or deteriorating foundation walls lead to problems for homeowners and their bank accounts. Soil water seeping through a foundation and entering into a basement can reduce the value of a home as much as 10% (so a $300,000 home will lose $30,000 in value). The crack and the problem will only worsen with time.

The Problem with DIY Home Foundation Repair

While there are DIY (do-it-yourself) ways to fix a foundation wall crack, these "solutions" are faulty.

Caulking: Adding caulk in the gaps of a wall crack is an easy DIY fix. However, efflorescence will build up as water fills the crack up to the caulking. The caulk-based "plug" will eventually peel off. If the crack isn’t clean, the caulk may bond to dirt instead of the cement, weakening the seal's effectiveness. 

Filling the Wall Crack: Using hydraulic cement or other rigid substances does not address the underlying issue (foundation water pressing in from the outside). Over time, as the foundation swells and shrinks with changes in temperature and moisture, the movement will work the plug loose. Foundation leaking will often recur in about two years.

• Filling with Epoxy: If epoxy is used, its rigidity may cause the wall to crack again nearby as the wall continues to expand and contract. Additionally, epoxy tends to cure slowly and it may actually run out from the other side of the crack before completely hardening. The surface to which the epoxy is added must be completely dry to ensure a proper bond.
• Filling with Urethane: urethane seals work somewhat better because they’re flexible and expandable, but foundation cracks can shift and expand over 100% over time, which is beyond the ability of this material to stretch.

The Problem with Crack Repair from the Outside

Another way to repair a leaking foundation wall crack is from the outside. This exterior approach may require significant work, including digging around the foundation, dealing with exterior plantings, steps or other obstacles (walkways, decks, bushes, plantings) and backfilling and regrading the soil. If there is ever a failure on the seal, the entire process will have to be repeated.

The FlexiSpan Solution

Basement Systems, Inc. recommends the FlexiSpan wall crack repair solution because it is a permanent solution that addresses the issues behind a vertical wall crack. The FlexiSpan installation begins by locating a way for potential water to drain to the outside of the basement- either through a perimeter French drain system or through a small drywell created by the installer. The crack is then sealed with a sealant based on a powerful urethane that is impenetrable to water, can expand to 20 times its original volume, and bonds well with both wet and dry concrete surfaces.

Even in rare cases where the seal fails, 95% of the water will be prevented from passing through and any remaining water will be intercepted by a foam strip laid over the crack that will direct water down to the drywell. The sealed crack and foam strip is coated over with material that will make it as invisible as possible and will give it a clean, gray tooled-off look, making the solution an aesthetic one as well as effective. 

Basement Systems’ dealers are trained and authorized to install this solution across the United States as well as in Canada and the UK. Contact your local dealer today!