Bowing Basement Wall
The horizontal crack found on this basement wall was sure sign of wall failure. The wall was bowing inward at the location of the crack, which could cause the wall to collapse if not fixed. The stairs in this home were located on the bowing wall, which caused further concern for this homeowner.
Steel Earth Anchors
Wall anchors are used to permanently stabilize a failing wall and can be used to straighten the wall back to its original position. To begin the installation, we had to excavate part of the soil outside of the home to embed a steel earth anchor.
Connecting Earth Anchor to Foundation Wall
The second installation step for the wall anchor system is connecting the earth anchors to the actual failing foundation wall. To do this we drilled a hole that is large enough to insert the anchor into the wall.
Steel Wall Plates and Rods Secure System
A steel wall plate was then secured with a galvanized steel rod, which immediately stabilized the bowing wall. The system can be tightened over time to potentially straighten the wall.
PowerBrace System Helps to Further Stabilize Wall
In addition to the wall anchor system we installed the PowerBrace system to help support and eventually straighten the failing wall. This system was securely attached to the base of the wall and to the joists in the basement. The system uses a joist reinforcement method that helps transfer the weight of the wall and home evenly across the basement ceiling. The beams are also coated in zinc to prevent corrosion over time.
