Foundation crack repair
Most cracks are a water problem, not a structural one. Some are both. Here's how to tell, and how they get fixed.
Concrete shrinks as it cures, so most poured basement walls in Eau Claire have at least a few thin vertical cracks. Many never leak. The ones worth repairing are the ones that let water in, keep getting wider, or run in a pattern that says the wall is being pushed.
Which cracks are a concern?
- Any crack that leaks during rain or snowmelt
- A crack wider at the top than the bottom, or vice versa
- A horizontal crack partway up a block or poured wall
- Stair-step cracks through the mortar of a block wall
- Cracks where one side has moved out of line with the other
- Cracks that reopen after being patched
How are poured wall cracks repaired?
The usual method is injection. Small ports are set along the crack, the surface is sealed, and a liquid resin is pumped in until it fills the crack through the full thickness of the wall. Polyurethane foams and expands to seal against water and allows a little movement. Epoxy bonds the two sides of the crack back together and is used when strength matters. A contractor may use one or the other depending on the crack.
What about block and stone walls?
Block walls crack along the mortar joints, and the hollow cores inside the block can hold and move water. Injection doesn't work well on block. Repairs usually combine repointing joints, drilling weep holes so water drains into an interior drain tile system, and bracing if the wall has moved. Fieldstone foundations under the oldest houses near downtown Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls are repointed with mortar suited to old masonry.
Crack repair or something bigger?
A single vertical crack that leaks is often a quick repair. A horizontal crack, or a wall that has moved, points to soil pressure that the crack repair won't solve on its own. In that case, ask about wall bracing and drainage at the same time.
The waterproofing company prices the job after walking the basement, looking at the outside grading and finding where the water actually gets in. We don't quote prices, and any number given over the phone before a visit is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can I fix a basement wall crack myself?
DIY injection kits exist for thin, dry vertical cracks in poured walls. Leaking cracks, wide cracks, horizontal cracks and anything in a block wall are better left to a contractor who can see whether the wall is moving.
Is a hairline crack in my poured wall normal?
Thin vertical shrinkage cracks are common in poured walls. Mark the ends with a pencil and the date, and watch whether it grows or leaks over the next spring.
Related services
- Basement waterproofing
- Interior drain tile and sump pumps
- Basement wall bracing
- Window wells and egress windows
More background: Eau Claire basement waterproofing guide.
Water on the basement floor, a damp wall or a sump that won't quit?
Call now and a local waterproofing company will help you find where the water is coming from.