No one is excited when they learn they have to pay to repair their basement walls. If you’ve ventured into your basement recently and noticed cracks along the walls, you are probably frustrated. How did they get there? Cracks are actually more common than you think, and these 5 possible causes may be the reason.
1. Weakened Concrete
When you install sewer, electric, or gas lines, you have to first core through the concrete in your basement. The same goes for installing windows in your basement. Coring the concrete naturally leaves it weakened and prone to cracking. This is why you’ll often find the cracks along the lines or coming from the corners of your basement windows.
2. Soil Saturation
Wet ground can affect your basement walls in a couple ways. When the soil is oversaturated, the footings that support your basement walls can settle, which causes the walls to crack. The ground also expands when its wet, pushing against walls. When the soil recedes again, it leaves the walls still bowed and possibly cracked.
3. Soil Desiccation
On the other hand, when the soil is too dry, it can also result in problems for your foundation. When moisture is drawn from the soil, it will actually contract. This causes the walls to shift, and can also cause the footings at the bottom of your walls to settle. Both of these things can cause cracks in your walls.
4. Concrete Shrinkage
When concrete is poured, it is mixed with water. When the concrete dries and the moisture leaves, similar to the soil, the concrete will shrink. Sometimes, depending on the humidity and the way the concrete was mixed, this shrinkage can lead to cracks in your walls.
5. Concrete Timing
There are so many factors that go into ensure your concrete walls are crack-free. Sometimes, just because of the timing of the situation, these cracks can occur. If the company were to pour all their concrete, and then have to wait a bit for a new concrete truck, the already poured cement will have partially dried. This means that your basement walls will be two separate slabs, naturally leading to cracks later on.
Many things contribute to the breakdown of your basement’s foundation, and, almost inevitably, cracks will appear in the walls. While some may be small and almost insignificant, most can become more problematic the longer you leave them untreated. If you notice cracks in your basement, you may want to consider hiring a company for your basement wall crack repair in Massachusetts. Visit us at website for more details. Follow us on twitter.
