Cracked Cinderblock Walls Get Fixed, Foundation Saver!

Tuesday, October 17th, 2017 by Michael Connolly

Challenge

Cracks suddenly appeared in the white basement cinder block walls, said Jason G. of Bryon GA during his foundation inspection. The cracks became worse, and something had to be done to secure his wall and home. Jason’s purchased the property about 18 months ago with no sign of foundation settlement until now.

The goal was to stabilize the cinder block wall; provide safety for Jason and his wife. Jason also planned on finishing his basement in the future.

Solution

Brian Townsel of Lowcountry Foundation Repair inspected the home and interviewed Jason. The basement was 50 ft. wide and 14 ft. long. The cracks appeared eight months ago in February.

With the goals of the project clear, Brian designed a custom solution for Jason and his wife. Brian recommended the installation of a PowerBrace System. The system would be composed of 16 zinc-plated steel beams anchored to the floor and secured against the cracked foundation wall. The beams would hold the foundation wall in place while allowing them to be adjusted/ tightened over time to straighten the wall.

After Jason and his wife decided to move forward with the plan they asked Brian to address a small water problem in the basement. Jason told Brian that the basement gets wet after very heavy rains.

Brian recommended installing WaterGuard around the inside perimeter of the basement. Water collected in this channel would be moved to a TripleSafe Sump Pump for removal. The cinder block walls were covered with 122 linear feet of BrightWall panels, to give the basement a finished look.