How To Fix A Crack In Your Basement Foundation

Are Cracks In Your Basement Foundation Normal?

Do you have cracks in your basement’s foundation? Do you need to fix your cracked concrete?

The answer really depends on what the crack is like. See, there are some normal cracks that come with the aging of your home.

On the other hand, though, there are cracks that are so severe and allow moisture or soil-based gasses to enter your basement. When you see something like this, it’s time to call a professional.

Types Of Cracks And How To Fix Them

There are three main types of cracks that you need to watch out for as a homeowner. These are the cracks that you absolutely cannot ignore.

1. The Heaving Crack

When your basement foundation has a section that is heaving or rising to the point that you are tripping on the crack that’s forming, you have a serious problem. This type of crack needs professional help ASAP.

When clay-based soil gets wet, it expands. This can cause your basement foundation to heave and crack. Here at Childers Brothers, we serve a 300-mile radius around Amarillo, TX, so we have extensive experience dealing with problems caused by clay-based soil.

We use Soil Stabilization Solutions, including EcSS 3000 technology. It works by permanently altering the characteristics of the soil’s charged ions that attract and bind water, thereby reducing the swell potential to 1-2%.

When we first saw EcSS 3000 in action, we immediately included it in our product line. In 2014, ESSL put their company up for sale, and we purchased it, making us the only foundation contractor in the Texas Panhandle to offer this technology.

2. The Sinking Crack

If a section of your basement foundation is sinking, causing it to crack, don’t hesitate to call for professional assistance.

At Childers Brothers, we don’t just come in and throw a solution at you. First, we perform our 27-Point Analysis to determine the root cause of your problem because we know that foundation problems are not one-size-fits-all.

While mudjacking has been a popular solution to sinking foundations, we have an alternative that is less intrusive and more cosmetically appealing. Slab-Lifting Foam is a permanent solution that will not break down over time, unlike mudjacking slurry. The foam is inserted under the sunken concrete and lifts it back into place. It will fix your cracked concrete in no time at all, taking only 20 minutes to set.

3. The Wider Crack

If you have cracks wider than 1/8th of an inch, it’s time to find out what’s going on and how you’re going to get it fixed. The good news? You may not need to have the whole slab repoured. We offer Epoxy Crack Repair when the conditions are right. We only use materials from high-end manufacturers like Prime Resins. In fact, some of our epoxies are harder and stronger than the concrete they are filling.

Your Next Step

If you need to fix cracked concrete in your basement foundation, look no further than Childers Brothers. We will take care of all of your needs and will only suggest the repairs that you need.

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