How to Repair Foundation Cracks
Have you noticed any foundation cracks around your home?
There are three main methods for repairing foundation cracks – epoxy injections, strapping and underpinning.
Epoxy injections:
Epoxy injections are known for their toughness, excellent adhesion, low shrinkage and resistance. These types of injections are the most common way to repair foundation cracks in concrete slabs and walls, by filling in the crack with epoxy which is a synthetic resin.
Before the epoxy is injected, the surface surrounding the crack needs to be prepared. This involves cleaning the area and removing any loose material with a chisel. After the crack has been filled, staples are placed across the crack for additional support and stabilization. Repairing the crack with epoxy will prevent it from increasing in size and stop moisture from penetrating the concrete.
Strapping:
Strapping is a method that installs carbon-fiber Kevlar straps, which have considerable strength and are easy to work with. By installing these carbon-fiber Kevlar straps, foundation cracks can be closed and they will prevent any future slippage or movement. These straps can be used along with epoxy injections to repair walls that have horizontal cracks as well. Horizontal cracking is usually an indicator of too much weight against the wall. This type of cracking is extremely serious because it can eventually lead to the wall’s collapse.
Underpinning:
In addition to epoxy and strapping, underpinning may also be necessary to resolve foundation settlement and cracking problems. The purpose of underpinning is to increase the depth or width of the foundation so it can better support the structure’s weight. When a building is too heavy for its foundation, not only will the foundation crack, the walls of the structure can also begin to bow. Underpinning distributes the weight of the structure more evenly and provides better support for the building.
Underpinning can also be used for homes constructed on expansive soil. When clay gets wet it swells, and when it dries, it contracts. These moisture fluctuations lead to foundation settlement, cracks and other types of foundation issues.
If you’ve noticed foundation cracks, it’s important to hire a professional foundation expert to determine what kind of foundation cracks you are dealing with and what’s the appropriate method for correcting the damage.
If you think your home is in need of foundation repair, house leveling, foundation replacement and/or earthquake retrofitting, contact Julian Construction today and we will send one of our foundation specialists out to conduct a free, thorough inspection with a quote for repair.
We have extensive experience serving our Los Angeles community and nearby regions. In fact, Julian Construction has inspected over 30,000 structures in the area!
Julian Construction was formed in 1994 and our focus has always been on building and maintaining foundations, doing foundation repair and replacement, earthquake retrofitting, and house leveling.
When you work with Julian Construction, you get the principles of the company and the workers of Julian Construction under your home.
And in order to keep foundation repair affordable for our customers, we offer a price guarantee — because we know our quote for repair will represent your very best value.
Give us a call at (323) 733-3377 to schedule your free inspection or complete the inspection request form.
