Sometimes a crack in a poured concrete basement wall will leak when exposed to outside water. Water travels via the path of least resistance, so a crack in the basement wall provides a way for water to enter the basement. If your Missouri basement is unfinished, the invasion may not be so bad; with a finished basement, that leaking wall crack can become a real nuisance and may cause considerable damage.
How To Fix Foundation Cracks With Water
Here’s the good news: leaking wall cracks can be repaired and waterproofed. One cost-effective way to fix a leaking wall crack is to inject the crack with a special material and process that seals the wall and stops the water from coming in.
Before the crack is repaired it is important to identify the source or origin of the water leak. Many times a misdirected downspout or clogged gutter is the cause. If the ground outside the home is graded toward the foundation or is too high, water is directed toward the basement allowing water to enter cracks that are present.
Diverting water away from your St. Louis home or repairing damaged downspouts should be your first course of action. Once the outside source of water is identified, focus may be directed to the crack on the inside. Here is how the crack is typically repaired:
- The crack is exposed and cleaned up.
- A series of small injection ports are attached to the wall along the crack. If the crack is very tight a small hole is drilled into the crack so that the material will penetrate.
- Starting from the bottom of the wall, a hydrophilic polyurethane material is injected into the ports to fill cracks. Water is used as a catalyst for the material.
- Once the crack is injected, the ports are removed and a material is applied over the length of the crack as a water seal.
This process takes less than a day and is very cost effective for a homeowner. A crack injection repair, coupled with removing the water from the outside, can be a long-term or even a permanent repair. Selecting a trustworthy, local basement waterproofing company like Kent Foundation Repair is essential. These professionals typically have far more experience and are much better equipped than a general contractor or handyman.
*Kent Foundation Repair only offers Basement Waterproofing at our St. Louis service area.
