Barring an unconventional, artistic approach to home design, walls are meant to be flat and level. When walls begin to round out–or “bow”–there’s likely something more problematic happening to the structure of your home.
While any wall has the potential to bow, bowing most commonly occurs in basement walls, which in turn can weaken the entire structure of your home–not just the basement. When foundation walls appear to be bending or leaning, it is typically caused by hydrostatic pressure. In layman’s terms, that means the soil surrounding your basement foundation is holding excess water and creating a natural force on the exterior of your concrete. That force has the power to allow water to seep into cracks naturally formed in the concrete, as well as create enough pressure to cause walls to buckle, bulge, or bow.
If you want to stop a basement wall from further bowing (or prevent it altogether), the solution is to remove the standing water pressure source entirely. That may seem as though a complete foundation replacement is necessary, but the good news is that’s not so. In fact, replacing a foundation wall is pointless if the problem creating the bowing is not first addressed. This can include standing water, incorrect basement waterproofing, or a lack of appropriate drainage. When hydrostatic pressure is the culprit, treating the source of the problem using the following options can be an effective and efficient means for reversing bowing basement walls back to the flat shape they should be in.
All of these methods have been proven to counteract hydrostatic pressure, and are cost-effective options for repairing your bowing walls. And with no disturbance to your surrounding landscape, a bowing basement wall doesn’t have to be a scary, overwhelming project threatening to disrupt your daily life and budget.
Do your basement walls look to be bending or leaning? You might have a bowed wall problem on your hands – yikes! Call Lamunyon Dry Out & Foundation Repair today for a free estimate and consultation.
Yes! Lamunyon proudly offers a 25 year warranty on basement foundation repair anchoring, waler wall support systems and carbon fiber support systems. Our warranties are also transferable, so you have future peace of mind too. Don’t hesitate to ask your specialist for further details, or call us today.