Think You Have a Problem With the Foundations of Your Basement?
If your basement needs foundation repair, the following post supplied by Elias Foundation Repair may just prove invaluable when it comes to assessing what is needed.
Basement foundation damage is unfortunately inevitable as a home begins to age and settle. The process of repair must always begin with an assessment of the cause and severity of the damage. When possible, fix the source of the damage before you actually address the damage itself. Once the source of the damage has been repaired, either repair the damage yourself when it is minor or hire a licensed contractor to deal with more serious repairs.
One common cause of damage, as mentioned above, is simple aging. Many older basement walls are built using stones or bricks that are affixed with mortar. This mortar, however, will eventually start to break down and can begin to sag and leak. If an old stone or brick basement wall is still structurally sound, basement foundation repair is fairly routine, as the mortar can be chipped away and replaced using a tuck-pointing method. However, if an old brick or stone wall is starting to sag, it will need to be either replaced or tied into a new concrete foundation by a professional. Situations, where load-bearing portions of a basement wall are starting to sag or crumble, are serious, and this kind of repair should be referred to a contractor.
Water is often the cause and symptom of foundation damage. When water is building up in a basement, check the wall for cracks, if any are present, they must be repaired, especially in colder climates, as the freezing and thawing cycle will damage the foundations further. Smaller cracks can be repaired with the aid of a kit that includes sealers, and sometimes, for larger cracks, hydraulic cement.
If you would like to learn about the services I can offer you, and if you live in the Pasadena, TX region, please feel free to call me at (832) 758-4538 anytime.