Home repair can be a costly and time-consuming pain. But if you ignore aspects of your home that need fixing, you can face dire consequences and more costly solutions in the future. One prime example of home repair that needs fast attending is repairing cracks in foundation walls. While cracks in your concrete foundation generally don’t pose threats to the structural integrity of your home, even the thinnest cracks can make for entry points for unwanted substances, such as groundwater and gas.
Repairing cracked foundations within your home can be an especially pressing issue for those with basements and in low-laying areas. Floods are considered the most commonly occurring disaster within the U.S., and according to the National Flood Insurance Program, this leads to an average of $3 billion in claims per year. Avoiding a wet basement is vital to maintaining, a safe, clean, and sanitary home. Not only can flood water pose damage to precious belongings and interior items such as rugs and sofas, but it can also promote mold growth.
For most homes, it’s not a question of how, but when. According to statistics, 98% of homes with basements experience water damage.If it’s too late for prevention, there are steps that you can take to mitigate the damage of your basement cracks and leaks. First of all, making sure that you have the proper amount of plant life outside your home can help prevent further damage in your basement. When placed low in the soil at a minimum of 2 feet from your home’s foundation, plants can prevent water from seeping in. According to experts, the soil surrounding the foundations of your home should be at a slope of 6 inches for every horizontal 10 feet.
If you have already been plagued with basement water leaks, removed any damaged, absorbent items immediately, as they will start to mold within 48 hours. Such organic items include towels, bedding, and upholstery. Once you’ve cleared the area, you can properly assess the damage. If your cracks are minor, and less than 1/4 inch wide, repairing cracks in foundation walls is possible to do on your own using some epoxy.
But if the cracks are wider than 1/4 inch or if there are cracks in your stairs of if bricks, that is a job best left to a contractor. Contractors are experts in repairing cracks in foundation walls, and should have your basement in tip top shape in no time.