Sunday, May 26, 2019

Effective Way to Repair Cracks in Poured Concrete Basement Walls

Formation of cracks in poured concrete basement walls is a common occurrence nowadays. In case they’re left unrepaired, the issue could get worse after a while and lead to lasting damage to the building. Water could seep through them, leading to issues such as mosquito infestation, wet basement, etc. Water seepage increases moisture, resulting in mould and mildew growth. In order to maintain and boost the structural integrity of the building, it is imperative to carry out basement crack repair after spotting them.  It’s essential to repair them promptly in order to avert the abovementioned issues as well as critical damage to the structure of the building.

Basement crack injection is an effective solution to adequately deal with structural and leaking cracks in basement walls. Also, the process is helpful in taking care of the void spaces that form the crack. The concept behind the process is to inject a liquid polymer into the crack. The technique lets the material to go all over the crack and efficiently fill it after curing.

Materials Used in the Process

Generally, polyurethane foams or epoxy resins are utilized as the polymers to inject into the cracks in order to avert additional water leakage as well as mould and mildew growth. Usually, epoxy resins are utilized for sealing structural cracks. Epoxy efficiently seals the crack and at the same time strengthens the crack to turn stronger than the adjoining area nearby it. Furthermore, epoxy bonds with the concrete and enhances the wall’s structural strength. Also, epoxy averts the repaired space from shifting internally.

Polyurethane is generally suggested for filling non-structural cracks and dealing with the issue of water leakage. The material enters deep inside hairline cracks and starts to cure and foam quickly. After making contact with water, polyurethane has the potential to expand 20 times its volume to fill and seal all crevices from front to back. The material start to foam quickly after getting into the crack and is perfect for ceasing flowing water and filling crevices. Moreover, polyurethane stays quite flexible to shift with the concrete wall movement.

Furthermore, reinforcement products like carbon fiber strips are needed to strengthen the crack and wall and to make sure that settling or additional movement doesn’t form more cracks nearby the originally repaired crack.  The utilization of carbon fiber strips in combination with crack injection is an effective way to lastingly repair cracks in poured concrete basement walls. The process is helpful in ensuring that the repaired crack doesn’t open and leak again.

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