What Causes Concrete Foundation Cracks?

Although our homes are built to be resilient to many things, after some time they tend to wear down. In the same way we show signs of age through wrinkles, our homes show it through imperfections and cracks. With the flaws of imperfect construction, pressure surrounding the home and the weight of the house bearing down on it, the foundation of your home takes it all. When it comes to foundation cracks or repairs, the important thing is to take care of the issue as soon as possible. It’s not a good idea to forget about it and wait until the crack gets bigger and allows water to leak into your basement and flood your home.

All concrete has the tendency to crack and there is no way to produce crack-free concrete. Concrete expands and shrinks with changes in temperature and moisture and this can cause cracking early on. Often concrete foundation cracks are not detected until long after they’ve formed. Regardless of how long the crack has been there, it tends to concern homeowners and they worry about the imperfection.

Cracks in concrete foundation most often appear at weak points like corners, basement window frames, walls and pipe areas. It’s important to keep track of these cracks and notice if they are getting bigger. It’s also important to understand why the crack showed up in the first place. What causes concrete foundation cracks? Read on to find out!

Top Causes of Concrete Foundation Cracks

Drought or too much moisture

Soil shrinks like a sponge when moisture is removed from it and when that happens it pulls away from the foundation of your home creating a gap. This gap allows for the foundation to move. When the foundation of a home is not supported properly it can shift around and cracks will begin to appear. In turn, if there is too much moisture it will cause the soil that is supporting the foundation of your home to expand.

Earthquakes

When an earthquake occurs it causes the ground to shake, which in turn shakes your home around. Thankfully not too many earthquakes occur on this side of the U.S., however even the tiniest of quivers can be an issue. Remember, if the foundation isn’t supported or stable, it can move around, weaken and crack. A small earthquake may not cause new cracks, but it can intensify ones that are already present.

Storms

Whether you experience a hurricane, a nor’easter or just a typical rainstorm these storms produce a lot of water, which can damage the foundation of your home. Too much water will force the soil around the foundation of your home to expand, which will push up against the home and cause concrete foundation cracks. Storms can also cause various other structural problems if you don’t take preventive measures to secure your home. One of the most popular explanations behind concrete foundation cracks is the freeze and thaw cycle during the winter. Concrete freezes at around 18 degrees and then it melts at around 35 degrees, which is when the cracking develops.

Plumbing Leaks

It’s important to make sure your pipes are secured and aren’t leaking and that you don’t have any plumbing leaks in your home. If you’re home isn’t equipped with basement waterproofing or a sump pump, the excess water will add to the soil causing it to expand and push against your foundation.

Flooding

Regardless of whether the flooding comes from a storm, a leak, inadequate drainage or something else, too much water will be a problem for your concrete foundation. When hydrostatic pressure becomes too much for the foundation of your home you will notice more leaks, more cracks and more problems.

Extreme Heat

Concrete can also crack under extreme sun and heat because it causes the concrete to expand. During the day and under the sun the concrete will expand, and then overnight the concrete will shrink and retreat back to its original unbaked position.

Get Help Fixing Your Cracks

The moral of the story is that it is important to keep your foundation stable, dry and supported.

When your foundation has wiggle room due to dry soil or if it’s tightly pushed in by expanding soil, these movements cause it to weaken and in turn create concrete foundation cracks. The good news is that concrete foundation cracks that are a result of too much moisture and flooding can be prevented through various methods of basement waterproofing.

It’s also not too difficult to repair concrete foundation cracks with epoxy injections. If you are thinking about preventive measures or you need concrete repair, then contact the team at Triad Basement Waterproofing and they will create a custom solution to your specific situation.

Top 3 Methods of Basement Waterproofing

Are you suffering from a wet basement? Or are you looking for precautionary measures to help prevent basement flooding in your home?

Regardless of the motivation, it’s a good idea to invest in basement waterproofing for your home so you can protect what is yours, prevent any damages as well as save money instead of spending it on fixing a ruined basement or replacing damaged belongings.

If you are trying to figure out a way to cure a wet basement, or how to prevent one from happening then you are probably curious about the products and methods behind basement waterproofing. It is possible to dry out a basement and keep it that way with waterproofing, drainage and sealants, but you need to make sure you are choosing the right method, materials and contractors for your specific situation.

Each basement and situation is different so it is important to know where the moisture could potentially come in from and to create a comprehensive solution that is going to last. There are really only three methods to basement waterproofing – interior, exterior and drainage.

Let’s find out more about the top three methods of basement waterproofing .

Interior Sealants & Waterproofing

The most common entry point for water is through cracks in the concrete foundation. The good news is that these cracks can be easily sealed from the inside.

Special sealants are injected into the opening, penetrating through to the exterior where they seal the path off to potential moisture and leaks. These sealants usually last for a long time and come with long warranties. Although interior sealers are good for preventing leaks and humidity, they won’t work perfectly if there is strong hydrostatic pressure (water pressure) pushing against the foundation.

Using waterproof coatings on the inside of your basement is also a good idea. Concrete waterproofing coatings adhere permanently to concrete walls and work well where there is a minor dampness or condensation issue. Sealants and waterproof coatings cannot fix major leaks or basement floods.

Exterior Waterproofing

Exterior waterproofing helps to prevent water from entering your home to begin with so that the moisture doesn’t damage the foundation or the inside of your basement.

This method is accomplished by fully excavating around the home to the bottom of the foundation. Once that is done, the walls are sealed with a waterproof coating, which will waterproof the walls and direct water down to a drain system.

The drain can then be directed to a sump pump or down a slope that leads away from the foundation. This method will efficiently stop water from entering into your home and basement through the walls or through the foundation.

Interior & Exterior Drainage

If water did somehow make it into your home through a leak, then a proper drainage system is a great way to keep water under control. The easiest way to utilize drainage inside your basement is to have a sump pump that collects the water from inside and then pumps it out away from your home.

Interior drainage systems function by draining underground water from alongside the foundation of your home and then pump it away from the basement. These drainage systems should be prepared to work in case of a power outage, an overwhelming rainfall or heavy snowstorm and snow melt.

Water drainage is an efficient solution to keeping water out of your home and basement and they can also be airtight and used with vapor barriers to keep the area free from dangerous mold and mildew.

Which Method is the Best?

Nobody wants to come home to a flooded or leaky basement, so it is important to take preventive measures ahead of time and to be prepared in case a leak does occur.

There is no one best way to protect your home from leaks and moisture, because each situation is different. For some homes a coat or two of a waterproof sealant may be enough, while others may need a drainage system as well as a waterproof sealant.

When you work with Triad Basement Waterproofing, we will thoroughly analyze your basement, your foundation and your home and compose a unique solution to your issues. We not only waterproof your home, but we also make sure to relieve the water pressure from outside your home.

Apart from waterproofing your basement there are also other things you can do to help keep your home warm and dry.

Check out some of these tips to prevent a flooded basement.

We offer our professional services throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, DC. If you need basement help or you are thinking about basement waterproofing then contact our experts at Triad today!

How to Prevent a Flooded Basement in the Winter

Winter is upon us and that means that it is very important to protect our basements from any flooding this year. Heavy snow, heavy rain and in turn heavy snowmelts are extremely threatening to unprotected basements. Many people believe that the rainy season is the worst time of year for a basement. While heavy rain does pose a high threat to unprotected basements, winter and snow can be worse.

When the temperature of the ground is above freezing the accumulated snow instantly melts and turns into water, which has the same effect as rain. If the temperature of the ground is below freezing, snow will accumulate and as soon as the temperature rises it can turn into a heavy stream of water pounding against the foundation of your home. When water accumulates around your home, the water can seep through any porous surfaces, cracks in the foundation, window wells, etc.

You know how a quick change in temperature from cold to hot can crack glass?

Big temperature changes can do the same thing to your foundation, weakening it over time and allowing water to flow freely into your basement. The last thing you want to do is walk into a flooded basement during the cold winter months! Don’t wait till winter to invest in basement waterproofing, the colder weather makes it tough to work outside, so it is important to take care of the work before the temperatures drop.

Here are some tips from the professionals at Triad Basement Waterproofing that will show you how to prevent a flooded basement in the winter.

• Keep Snow Away From Your Home

When you’re clearing your driveway after a snowfall, make sure to shovel the snow away from your home. This ensures that when the snow melts it won’t seep inside your home. Big piles of snow are like a mini river waiting to leak into your home.

• Keep Your Gutters Clean

Keeping your gutters clean is something you should be doing throughout the year anyway. Before winter comes around check your gutters for leaves and debris. Make sure that your gutters are safely guiding water away from your home. Use downspouts and direct them away from your home to make sure that water doesn’t pool near the foundation of your home. Keeping your gutters clean ensures that snow doesn’t accumulate so when the weather warms up you don’t witness a massive snow melt and flood.

• Check for & Prevent Frozen Pipes

Water expands as it freezes and this can put extreme pressure on the pipes that are containing it. Pipes that freeze often are those that are exposed to severe cold such as swimming pool supply lines, sprinklers, outdoor faucets and other pipes housed in unheated areas like the basement, garage or attic. A small crack in a pipe can leak up to 250 gallons of water a day, which can cause severe flooding, structural damage and mold. To prevent frozen pipes you can check the insulation in your home, wrap the pipes in heat cables or tape and make sure cold air doesn’t leak inside where the pipes are located. It might also be a good idea to let warm water drip from the faucets overnight to keep the pipes from freezing.

• Check Your Sump Pump

Double check your sump pump before winter rolls around. Make sure there are no spots in the hose where water can collect, the water should flow away from your home. If water is collected and freezes, it can stop the pump from working or even damage it permanently.

• Call for Help!

If you do experience any issues with basement flooding, then don’t hesitate to call for help as soon as possible. It’s important to keep your home dry so that mold doesn’t develop and pose higher health risks. It’s important to be prepared ahead of time so that you don’t have to deal with basement issues during the cold winter months, so make sure to take advantage of basement waterproofing and other precautionary measures ahead of time.

Coming home to find your basement flooded is never fun, but experiencing flooding during the cold winter months can be brutal. The winter season is supposed to be warm and cozy and there’s nothing like a flooded basement to ruin the whole experience for you and your family. It’s important to know what to look for and how to prevent a flooded basement in the winter. Triad Basement Waterproofing has more than 27 years of experience dealing with basement water problems and the experts here can help insure that your home stays dry at any given time of the year. Check out our website for a full list of services and contact us if you have any questions !