Concrete Foundation Repairs

If you own a home that requires poured concrete foundation repair then you have come to the right place.

From a diagnostic perspective having a poured concrete foundation is one of the best types to have when trying to find leaks.  We say this because poured concrete foundations are solid rather than their block style counterparts which are hollow in the center.  Having a solid characteristic means that where you see water coming through on the inside is where it makes its way in from the exterior side.

There are various issues with poured concrete foundations that make them leak and each one can be fixed using various repair techniques.

Below is a list of the most common issues you will find with a poured concrete foundation and the methods we use to repair them:

1. Foundation Cracks

Discovering a foundation crack in your poured concrete wall, leaking or not can be little disturbing as this could mean costly repairs. Trying to determine whether a foundation crack should be “more cause for concern” than others is something most people can’t decipher on their own. Should you repair it on the inside or dig it up and fix it from the exterior side?

We often get asked if we can repair a crack on the inside that has been previously repaired by others.  In some cases we can but if we cannot we will perform an exterior crack repair that once completed looks like the pictures shown here:

2. Pipe Penetrations / Holes in Foundations

Pipe penetrations are exactly that, pipes that go all the way through the foundation below grade (see example pictures) In homes that were built 30 – 40 years ago the pipes that ran through the foundation were typically surrounded with some type of grout or mortar to seal the gap between the pipe and the foundation.

After years of wear and tear the grout or mortar breaks down and will begin to leak. In most cases these types of leaks should be repaired from the outside, chipping out the old grout or mortar, repacked with a non shrink grout. If we are filling in a hole in the foundation we will typically form both sides of the foundation and fill the hole with a special concrete/grout blend. Once it has cured we then seal the area with liquid rubber (see picture to the right).

By using a product like liquid rubber you get a true seal over top of the new grout that was applied which will last much longer due to zero moisture being able to penetrate and affect the grout in the future.

Once the liquid layer has cured we will then add a drainage board called Delta MS that gives the area covered an air gap.  This air gap prevents water from pressurizing between the soil and the foundation like it had done in years past. This technique is one we use in our standard foundation waterproofing procedure so we know it works…100% guaranteed.

3. Rod Holes / Snap Ties

Rod holes and snap ties are other areas that cause problematic leakage in a poured concrete foundation.  Pictured to the right are a few rod holes that are covered over with a special grout.  The exterior side of rod holes and snap ties are covered in the same manner, sometimes with some type of mastic sealant.

Over the years the exterior side will wear out or degrade, especially if the soil on the exterior side is wet.  When this happens water is able to push its way through the foundation and show up on your basement floor.

Sometimes we can address these issues from the interior side but if there are enough of them leaking we would advise a homeowner to repair the exterior side of the foundation with a waterproofing system that will total seal the entire wall including the rod holes and snap ties.

4. Honey Combing

Honey combing is a phrase used to describe an area in a concrete foundation that when poured had a small pocket of air trapped within the concrete leaving the stones separated from the slurry mixture part of the concrete.  See picture below…

if we find a section of concrete that looks somewhat like the picture above and it is leaking into your basement the best course of action is to attack the problem from the exterior side of the foundation.  Using the exterior waterproofing technique ensures us that once completed water will never have the chance to enter.

If you would like to book a meeting to provide a proposal for your concrete foundation repair call 289-880-7988 or click here and you will be guided to our contact page.

CONCRETE FOUNDATION REPAIR FAQ

What is the most common leakage problem with concrete foundations? 

Foundation cracks and rod holes are the most common ways for a poured foundation to leak.

How do you repair poured concrete foundation cracks & rod holes?

Foundation cracks & rod holes can be injected from the interior side or waterproofed on the exterior side depending on the circumstances.

Is it common for a home to have more than one foundation crack? 

Yes, in fact every poured foundation will have at least 2 or more cracks in its foundation, most of which do not leak.

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