Basement Crack Injection – What It Does And When To Use It

Basement cracks can be problematic for numerous reasons. At a minimum, they tend to be unsightly and can be a potential ingress point for insects and other pests. Of course, most cracks create even more severe issues. In addition to pointing to possible underlying issues with the foundation, cracks can allow water to enter and flood your basement.

Ignoring a major crack in your basement wall can be costly, but what should you do to resolve these problems as permanently as possible? Keep reading to find out.

Evaluating Your Basement Crack

Do not attempt to apply a patch over a crack in your basement without first understanding the underlying cause of the problem. Even if a crack appears small, it may indicate a more serious issue with your foundation. Additionally, many do-it-yourself repair jobs may fail to solve the issue and trap water against your basement wall, leading to concrete deterioration.

Instead, hire a professional to inspect the crack, judge its severity, and determine if any outstanding foundation issues may be causing the wall to crack. Active cracks (those increasing in size) are the most dangerous and require additional work before patching. On the other hand, dormant cracks are usually a good candidate for immediate repair.

Addressing Underlying Causes

After inspecting the situation, a professional may determine that you have active (or live) cracks in your basement. Since these cracks will continue to expand, many repairs will likely be unsuitable. Repairs that increase the strength of the affected section, such as epoxy injection repairs, can even lead to additional cracks elsewhere in your basement.

The most common cause of active cracks is excessive hydrostatic pressure against the exterior wall caused by water drainage issues. Fixing these problems will relieve pressure on the wall and hopefully prevent further expansion of the crack. Once you resolve any problems (or if an expert already determined that the crack or cracks are dormant), you can move on to repair.

Repairing Cracks With Epoxy Injection

Epoxy injection repairs work by injecting a special compound into a dormant crack. This compound chemically welds the crack and helps to turn the previously porous concrete into a watertight surface. Epoxy injection repairs are extremely strong and long-lasting, making this a permanent solution to water intrusion issues.

Aside from the caveat that you should only perform an injection repair on dormant cracks, this method is otherwise suitable for most repairs. You can even use epoxy injection for very thin hairline cracks. Note that the epoxy will seal the wall, but additional patching and repair steps are usually necessary to restore the appearance of severely damaged concrete walls with large cracks.

To learn more, contact a professional basement wall crack repair service in your area.

Share