Wall Defense Options

Earlier this week, we talked about the types of wall cracks you might find in your home. Today, let’s talk about how we fix them.

Walls crack mostly because of outside pressure from the soil, or potentially an unexpected force like expanding tree roots. Regardless of the cause, that pressure is unlikely to stop once it starts, so the only way to preserve your foundation is to stabilize the affected walls against the pressure. There are three main ways we do this, depending on factors inside and outside your home.

CarbonArmor

CarbonArmor strips are stronger than steel and used when stabilization is the main goal, as they are the only wall solution that cannot straighten walls over time. They are also the best option when space is tight - like in the event of immovable fixtures on the wall - because they’re extremely thin. Despite not having straightening capabilities, the straps are extremely strong and will secure a wall in place and prevent further bowing.

PowerBraces

If you have a little more room on your walls, the bowing is worse, and/or you want the possibility of straightening them in the future, PowerBraces may be your best option. The steel beams are affixed to the floor and ceiling to provide complete coverage. Over time, they can be tightened with an included kit (or our annual maintenance visits) to hopefully restraighten the wall. PowerBraces are obviously thicker than CarbonArmor straps, so they can’t be installed in areas where there are pipes or other fixtures on the wall. But they do have the benefit of an internal-only installation, so they’re a great choice if you don’t want external excavation or your property lines are too close to allow for it.

GeoLock Wall Anchors

GeoLock anchors consist of large steel plates attached to the affected wall, which house a steel cable that goes through the wall and out to stable soil, where they’re anchored by a smaller plate underground. Like PowerBraces, these can be tightened over time to hopefully straighten the affected wall(s). While they take up less space on a wall than PowerBraces, they do require a decent amount of space outside, as the outside anchors need to be secured in stable soil away from the home. So if you have close property lines, are on a waterfront, etc, they may not be your best option.

Not all wall cracks, or foundations are created equal - that’s why we have multiple solutions that can be used individually or combined to solve any unique problem with foundation walls. Call today for your free inspection and let’s find the best solution for your bowing walls.