Avoiding Wall Collapse
We’ve talked before about the signs of wall problems, even the stages of wall failure. Today we’re going to talk specifically about the worst case scenario - wall collapse - how it happens, and how to avoid it.
How it happens
Walls lean or bow because of uneven pressure. Often this means that soil outside the foundation expands for some reason (frost heave, tree roots, etc) and pushes against the foundation wall(s). Depending on where the pressure is exerted, the wall will lean in at the top or bow in the middle and develop cracks at the pressure point.
How it progresses
The bowing, weakened wall begins to take force from two directions; inward, from the expanding soil, and now downward from the house the wall is supporting. Because the wall is compromised, nothing is square from this point onward so the wall bears the house’s weight unevenly and is further stressed.
How it collapses
The longest phase in a wall collapse is the time it takes to get to that initial crack and bowing. After that, everything moves exponentially faster, like a boulder rolling down a hill. Even constant pressure has more of an effect as the wall gets progressively weaker. With every centimeter the wall bows, the pressure gets worse, until one day your wall is in pieces on the ground.
You could live in a house for 15 years before you ever see a wall crack, and another 15 weeks before you have a total collapse on your hands.
How to avoid it
Time is of the essence. Just as bowing walls get worse exponentially, repair and stabilization is exponentially easier and less expensive the earlier it’s addressed. The first appearance of a new wall crack is the best time to call to schedule an inspection and find out what’s going on in your home. Our system design specialist will inspect the inside and outside of your foundation and measure wall deflection to determine the best option for your home.
Wall cracks are scary, but they’re not a direct path to disaster. Take action early and stop worrying about what could happen.
