Signs Of Foundation Damage
When foundation walls have been finished over it can often be difficult for homeowner to determine if the wall is still structurally secure or if something needs to be done to correct potential issues. In this case, the wall was showing a few signs that repair was necessary. We'll take a closer look at these signs in the photos to follow.
Bowing Basement Walls
When the foundation wall pushes the finished wall so that there is a clearly visible bow in the finished wall it is very likely that there are issues lying behind this wall.
Bowing In Relation to Other Walls
It can be helpful to compare the suspected problem wall to the edges of the wall or the surrounding walls as well. In this situation, when you held a yardstick firmly against the center of the walls there was a clear gap between the far end of the ruler and the edge of the wall; this demonstrates a measurable amount of bowing in the wall.
How Bad Is the Problem?
Our specialist determined that the wall was bowing into the room by at least two inches. Any movement in a wall is concerning, but two inches of wall movement is definitely a sign that something significant is going on and a solution is needed.
Other Signs Of Foundation Issues
There are several other small signs that can appear as a result of foundation damage. In this photo we see a small crack in the top center of the photo. Cracks like these might not be harmful, but they are hints at the larger problems underneath the wall.
Water Problems
The homeowner was also having problems with water along their foundation walls and the temporary solutions they were implementing were not adequate to solve the problem.
Minimally Disruptive Solutions
At DBS we know you've worked hard on the improvements to your home and you like to keep a tidy home, so we customize our solutions to be as minimally invasive as possible. With the solution we used on this wall (PowerBraces) we knew exactly where and how big of a space we would need, so that's all we needed to remove from the wall. The rest of the wall can remain perfectly intact without an issue.
Opening The Ceiling
With this particular solution, we are able to support the foundation from inside the home but we need access to the joists of the home to provide support.
Adjusting The Joists
Our PowerBrace solution requires sturdy support for the foundation wall, so it is often necessary to make adjustments or additions when additional support or a different orientation is needed.
Simultaneously Waterproofing The Basement
This customer also had concerns with water in their basement, so while we were installing foundation support we worked on waterproofing the basement as well.
Our Waterproofing System
In order to waterproof the basement we dug around the footing of the home and installed a new drain tile. To prevent water from entering the basement through the walls we covered them in our CleanSpace matting which directs water down the walls and into the drain tile which leads to a sump pump and moves the water outside of the home.
Very Little Disturbance to the Home
Again, we are able to provide the customer with a solution without disturbing their home. To install this drain tile we only needed to pull back the carpet a few inches and that's all the room we needed to provide a waterproofing solution.
Anatomy of our System
This gives you an idea of what is going on underneath the concrete. Water is directed under the black dimple drainage matting which conceals the drain tile pipe underneath. This pipe takes the water to the sump pump.
An Obvious Need for Waterproofing
Here we see standing water around the footing of the home. This water is the reason that this home needs a drain tile in the first place. If we're able to redirect the water from around the footing of the home then we eliminate one of the main ways that water enters a basement.
CleanSpace Matting Creates Clean White Walls
Our waterproof wall matting material gives the basement walls a bright white clean look.
Around The Perimeter
Our full waterproofing systems cover the entire perimeter of the home so that water does not have a way into the basement from the outside. Even with a system like this there is still a chance that plumbing leaks inside your home could create a wet basment which is why we let our customers know to finish their basements with inorganic materials that are resistant to the issues caused by water in a basement. Ask your specialist about our Basement to Beautiful waterproof basement finishing solutions if you're interested in finishing or refinishing your basement properly!
Supported Foundation Walls Without Intrusion
These PowerBraces have been installed and immediately had their bases covered over with the old carpeting. Once the wall is straightened the walls could even be re-finished to conceal the steal beams.
Joists Aligned
When the joists of the home are run perpendicular to the wall we only need a small open space to properly install the PowerBraces.
Significant Wall Bowing
In the next photo, you will see that this steel beam is installed flush to the wall. The space that this beam juts out shows how bowed out this wall really was.
Mounted Flush to the Wall
This beam starts attached to the wall, but the bowing of the wall prevents it from touching the top part of the wall. As this beam is tightened into place it will straighten the wall and continue to permanently maintain the position of the wall.
