How do cracks form on foundation walls?
Bowed and cracked basement walls can be a very serious sign of structural damage to the foundation. Traditional methods of addressing these issues include using wall anchors systems, steel I-beams, tiebacks, piering, and excavation. Usually bows, cracks, bulges, and buckling basement and foundation walls happen most frequently in more established structures. However, newer constructed buildings are not immune to quickly developing settling concerns. As soil settles outside foundation walls at differing rates, it expands and contracts with seasonal freezing and thawing processes because of hydrostatic pressure in the water table. There are several warning signs that should prompt a call to a professional for an inspection besides a bowed or cracked basement wall. The sooner a repair is made, the lower the repair expenses.
