Water is the main culprit in a major
portion of foundation problems. Whether the foundation is of poured
concrete, block concrete or stone, continuous water seepage creates
cracks which can often be disastrous if ignored.
Cracks due to water seepage are found in the corners of the walls,
or where the bricks, stone or concrete slabs join together. If
the ground water has enough hydrostatic pressure to allow the
water to seep through the foundation, then cracks occur. These
cracks begin as small hairline cracks and widen as time passes.
There are two basic methods to repairing foundation leaks at home
or in the basement - the urethane injection and the drainage tile
repair.
The urethane injection is a comparatively simple process. In this
process, the crack is sealed first to prevent any water from oozing
out. Holes are then made in the crack and an epoxy resin is injected
into the crack. The repair is complete when resin fills the entire
crack. Urethane injections cost only a few hundreds of dollars
and the time taken for the entire work to the completed won't
stretch beyond a couple of hours. However, the urethane injections
can only be applied to small cracks. Also there is the danger
of the crack reopening and water seeping in once again.
The drainage tile repair is a lengthy process. First the floor
tiles of the affected area are uprooted and a drain tile is fitted.
This is then connected to a sump pump or any other legally allowed
water removal system. Once this is done, the floor tiles are replaced.
This process takes a few days and costs run to thousands of dollars.
However, this is a much more permanent method than the injection.
One problem may be the malfunctioning of the sump pump. This may
cause flooding due to excessive leakage.
Urethane injections are okay if the crack is small, but if the
crack has been ignored and has become large and gaping, it is
better to repair it using a drainage tile. For larger leaks outside
the house, a more extensive method is employed. A trench is dug
at the affected place and the drainage tile is replaced if necessary.
The trench is then filled - first with coarse gravel to make it
more waterproof and then with the soil. This method is used even
when dams spring a leak in their foundation.
Repairing foundation leaks is a costly business, but more than
that it is a time-consuming and laborious process. However, it
is one of those repair works which just cannot be ignored.
About the author:
Foundation Repair
provides detailed information on Foundation Repair, Concrete
Foundation Repair, Foundation Repair Costs, Foundation Leak
Repair and more. Foundation Repair is affliated with Fine Home
Buildings.
Publisher - Article Source:
http://www.goarticles.com
|
