Solutions for Crumbling Walls
For many people, their home is their safe place. When you are experiencing foundation problems, however, it may seem like it is the furthest thing from being safe. Cracks, bowing, or crumbling walls are not fun but most everyone experiences them at some point. There are different solutions for different problems you may be facing in your home and here is a quick guide to each solution.
For cracked walls, there is the CarbonArmor Wall Reinforcing System. This system is made up of carbon fiber straps, that are 10xs stronger in tension than steel. The straps are bonded to the foundation walls using a high strength resin. CarbonArmor stabilizes the wall to keep it from cracking further and lays flat against the wall, so it won’t impact future finishings or take up space. One thing to note for this system, however, is that it cannot straighten a wall that is already starting to bow.
For bowing or buckling walls, there are a couple of options that will not only stabilize the wall but also potentially return it to the original position. The solutions are PowerBraces, GeoLock Wall Anchors, and GeoLock Channel Anchors.
The PowerBrace Foundation Wall Repair System is made up of steel I beams secured to the joists above with steel brackets. The system can be tightened at anytime to try and raise the wall back to the correct position. This system does not involve exterior excavation, it installs quickly, and it does not take up much basement space.
The GeoLock Wall Anchor System is made up of steel rods that extend beyond the home to anchor into hard packed soils and attach to a wall anchor within the home. The stable soil braces the foundation to prevent further movement. This system does require exterior excavation but is installed with minimal lawn disruption as all landscaping is restored to the way it was before we arrived. The anchor on the interior wall of the basement does not take up usable basement space and will not damage the wall!
The GeoLock Channel Anchor System is very similar to the Wall Anchor system where it uses the soil beyond the home to stabilize the wall. It also has minimal disruption to the lawn since landscaping is restored after installation. It differs from the Wall Anchors because steel “bars” are attached to the rods and the “bars” are secured to the floor, so it does take up some space in the basement.
Lastly, if your walls are crumbling or made of stone, we use ShotCrete to keep your home safe. ShotCrete is a sprayable concrete that can be used to construct a new wall, repair a crumbling wall, or fill in gaps of a stone foundation. The concrete is sprayed into a steel framework that is attached to the existing wall. When constructing a new wall, it is built in front of your previous wall so you lose some basement space and your old stone walls that you may love. In return, you get a sound, stable wall that will keep your home from crumbling- seems like a fair tradeoff to me.
Overall, there are different problems each home could face with their foundation, but there are fixes for each issue you could come across. Foundation problems are scary, but these solutions will keep your home from crumbling so you can enjoy it instead of worrying!
