Fixing Your Leaky Foundation Cracks and Holes

Fixing Your Leaky Foundation Cracks and Holes

So your foundation is leaking and has cracks and holes?

The next time you get up in the morning after a late-night storm and go downstairs to find that another torrential downpour has flooded your basement and think to yourself, “I have to do something about this problem, I can’t go on like this.” You need to consider how the water is entering your home in the first place.

The facts are that most water that ends up in your lower level is entering your home through the foundation walls and not coming up through the floor although it may seem that way. Most foundation walls are made from cement blocks. These blocks are hollow in the center and can allow water to travel naturally downward with gravity quickly, without resistance once it has found a way into the wall cavity.

Now let’s talk about how the water is actually getting into the wall cavities. Most of the time there is a spot located near the problem area that does not drain properly. Water will pool next to the foundation wall on the outside of the home in this area. The standing water soon finds its way in thru cracks or holes in your foundation that leads into the hollow wall cavities.

Where do these cracks and holes come from?

Cracks and holes form as older homes starts to settle over time. They can open up wider and wider to allow more and more moisture to enter each year. There may be concrete, asphalt, or other paved surfaces that will need to be dealt with. It may be necessary to remove part or all of these paves surfaces to access the problem area.

The cracks and holes can be accessed by digging along the foundation on the outside of the home and exposing the wall and locating the openings. Once located, the cracks and holes should be filled with a high-quality repair mortar. After the mortar has set, the problem areas are primed and a layer of sheet membrane should be applied to cover the repaired area.

Now that the openings into the wall cavities have all been sealed, those problem areas should be re-graded so that they drain properly away from the home. We do this by bringing in a load of compactable soil, spreading it out evenly, and compacting it along the foundation so that the soil is higher nearest the house and tapering down towards the lawn.

AAA Reick’s Waterproofing is a local company, waterproofing homes in the Minneapolis and St Paul suburbs for over 30 years. We specialize in fixing these cracks and holes along with regrading services and lawn drainage solutions. CALL TODAY for home evaluation.

 Leaky Foundation Cracks and Holes Repaired

CALL RIGHT NOW and we can get you started on a dry basement TODAY.

North Metro: 612-369-6626St. Paul: 615-583-6626

We answer our phones!