Say you have a vertical basement wall crack. You've ascertained that it's not a foundation problem, but nonetheless, water is pouring through it and into your basement. And you're not OK with that. Call three basement waterproofing or foundation repair contractors in the Wilmington area, and you're going to get four different answers about how it should be fixed. Stop by a hardware store, and they'll give you a few more of their own. The truth of the matter is this: Almost all of the solutions you hear about are going to work-- some of the time. However, what you want is a wall crack repair that's going to work all of the time, right? To this end, Ironside Foundation Repair Service, Inc. of North Carolina would like to share with you a few of the more common professional and do-it-yourself repairs we've encountered for leaking cracks in the basement or foundation walls. And if the time comes when you're ready to have a professional help you fix it, visit Ironside Foundation Repair Service, Inc. 's web site and give them a call for a FREE, no-obligation waterproofing estimate. They're available in Fayeteville and Wilmington and all areas nearby. Caulk Wall Crack Repair One of the most common do-it-yourself crack repairs is to seal up the wall crack with caulk. However, this is a superficial fix only. Water will still fill the crack behind the patch, bringing with it a white, powdery mineral salt known as efflorescence. This water and efflorescence will break the bond of the caulk and concrete, causing the seal to peel off and leak again. We find that this repair usually lasts about 6-months to a year before failing. Hydraulic Cement, Epoxy,&Grout; Seals Instead of using caulk, some homeowners and waterproofers will try to repair the crack by chiseling it into an inverted V-groove and filling it with either grout, epoxy, or hydraulic cements. These seals create rigid, inflexible barriers, and concrete walls are going to expand and contract over time with moisture and temperature. As they do, the basement walls with either work the plug free, resulting in new leaks, or the wall will crack again nearby. And if they're using epoxy, it must be applied only to a dry, clean surface-- this is usually not possible with a leaking crack. And epoxy cures very slowly; while it's curing, it can leak out of the back of the wall crack, making it ineffective. Whether you use hydraulic cement, epoxy, or grout, Ironside Foundation Repair Service, Inc. finds that these seals tend to last for less than two years on average. Exterior Basement Wall Crack Sealing One extreme repair option is to excavate the outside perimeter of the foundation and apply a waterproof coating on the basement walls from the outside. However, this is a very labor-intensive, expensive repair. The excavation often requires the removal of anything around the wall, including landscaping, steps, sidewalks, patios, shrubberies, and other things, and it leaves mounds of dirt in the yard while the work is being done. A year after the dirt has been returned, it will have settled, requiring grading. This option usually works, provided that tar is not used on the walls. But it's also the most expensive and invasive option available. Polyurethane/Urethane Basement Wall Crack Filling Better contractors will apply a urethane or polyurethane sealant into the wall cracks. These materials can have a very high viscosity, allowing it to seep into the small cracks and pores of the cement to create a tight, reliable bond. These materials are flexible and can expand and contract with the wall, helping them to last much longer than other options. Urethane is the weaker of these two options. While it is a flexible material, it can only expand to about 10% larger than its size. A wall crack can easily expand from 1/16th inches to 1/8th inch very quickly, which would break a urethane seal. Polyurethane can expand to 20 times its size. These seals hold about 95% of the time, and offer the best waterproofing sealant option for your dollar. The FlexiSpan Wall Crack System But don't you want 100% protection? If so, consider the FlexiSpan concrete wall crack system. This seal combines the strength and flexibility of a polyurethane seal with a foam strip over the top. If there is ever a leak in the polyurethane, it reaches the foam strip, which then directs the excess water downwards into a small drywell beneath your floor. And once it's been completed, it's covered over with a muted coating, which gives your repaired wall crack a tooled-off, attractive finish. The FlexiSpan installs in about two hours, comes with a ten-year written warranty, and is offered exclusively in Fayeteville and Wilmington by Ironside Foundation Repair Service, Inc. . If you'd like a FREE, no-obligation wall crack repair estimate, call or contact them today!
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