Foundation Repair Case Studies: Water Damage Issue Was Actually A Foundation Wall Repair Problem in Owendale, Mi
Challenge
Water was getting in from an unknown source in this Ownendale, Mi family home. They weren't entirely sure of the cause or how to go about handling it; however, they did notice their basement walls bowing inwards slightly over the years. They originally thought the water may have been a waterproofing issue, but they were curious if the walls may have been a related factor. In hopes of addressing both options at once, they opted to search for a foundation repair contractor rather than one specializing in water damage repair or water damage restoration. Thankfully, they found us at HomeSpec Basementfix, where we specialize in foundation repair, basement waterproofing, and concrete repair alike!
We had an experienced project manager head to him, who specialized in foundation repair specifically as requested. Our project manager would help discuss matters with the homeowner to develop a proper understanding of the issues, concerns, and how they believe they may be connected. From there we would begin a proper inspection of the property as a whole and the trouble area as well. We ended up finding the paint over the drywall bubbling out slightly, which would help us track down the problem. It turned out that the cracks were in fact caused by the basement foundation walls bowing. This is most often caused by hydrostatic pressure; the weight of soil becoming saturated around the foundation and pushing in on the walls as water travels through the weaker disturbed soils.
Solution
The cracks would definitely need to be addressed, but the core of the issue was actually the walls themselves. They needed a proper wall support solution to ensure the prevention of similar issues in the future, and to make sure that this small water damage problem wouldn't grow into a larger foundation repair problem. We would begin by having our crew inject the cracks with a high-pressure urethane crack injection to properly seal the damage before it could spread and leak more water. We would than use the CarbonArmor support system to help provide a permanent wall support and stability issue to address the core foundation problem. This system uses relatively thin strips of carbon fiber polymers which are proven to be far more durable and powerful than regular steel, while maintaining a level of flexibility to help them adjust to a walls natural contour. These are secured to the wall with a bracket system at the top to prevent any further leaning, and thoroughly adhered to the wall with a deep-penetrating powerful epoxy resin. Due to the unassuming appearance of this permanent foundation wall repair solution, the straps can easily be covered with wallpaper, drywall, painted over, etc... To ensure an incredibly clean finish, without any sign of having had work done to start with.
The homeowner was happy with their decision to call this in as a foundation repair problem, since we were able to address all their needs in a single project. They were also very appreciative that they were able to paint over the carbon armor straps, and ensure the finished look was cleaner than when the project began. The homeowner had both their property value and peace of mind restored.
