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Are you concerned about your basement wall bowing inward? If so, contact an expert foundation repair service immediately and tackle the problem before it endangers your home’s structural integrity.
But what are the top signs of a bowing wall? What causes it? What are the best ways to repair bowed walls? Let’s talk about it. Read on to find out what you can do about that unsightly bowing wall and preserve the safety and integrity of your home.
What Does A Bowing Wall Look Like?
You’ll often notice a bowing wall in basements or as part of other retaining structures. A bowed wall curves inward, creating a noticeable bulge.
Why Is A Bowing Wall Concerning?
There are two main reasons why bowing walls are concerning—besides, of course, being an eyesore! Namely, they pose several risks that can easily escalate into more serious problems if left unchecked.
As you know, the biggest concern of a bowing wall is that it threatens the overall structural integrity of the building. When a wall begins to bow, it weakens, and the risk of more serious issues, such as a collapse, increases. To stay safe and prevent catastrophic failures, deal with the issue as soon as it arises.
What Are The Tell-Tale Signs Of A Bowing Wall?
There are three main signs that you are dealing with bowing walls. In addition to bulging or curving inwards, two other signs of bowing walls include interior and exterior cracks in the foundation.
Often, interior cracks appear horizontally, hinting that the wall is under lateral stress and starting to bow. Furthermore, interior foundation cracks may manifest as diagonal or vertical lines, often starting from the corners of doors and windows. In some cases, they are hairline thin, while in others, they are much wider.
What Causes Bowing Walls?
Understand the main causes of a bowing wall, and you’ll be one step closer to preventing issues like this from happening in the future. The most common causes include lateral force, hydrostatic pressure, expansive soil, and frozen soil.
• Lateral forces: Lateral forces are horizontal pressures that act on your walls, making them bulge inward or bow. Usually, lateral forces come from external factors like water buildup around the structure or soil pressure against the foundation.
• Hydrostatic pressure: Water accumulating in the soil around the structure’s foundation exerts hydrostatic pressure. This pressure builds up and pushes against your walls, making them bend inward over time.
The good news is that you can prevent hydrostatic pressure from causing a bowing wall. Ensure proper drainage around the foundation and consider expert waterproofing services to manage water accumulation more effectively.
• Expansive soil abundant in clay: If the structure is built on clay-rich soil, you might experience a bowing wall due to the properties of the soil.
Clay soil will expand when wet and contract when dried out — due to this constant expansion and contraction pressure is exerted on the foundation walls, making them bow.
• Frozen soil: In cold climates, frozen soil can cause your walls to bow. That’s because when the ground freezes in the winter, it expands — the expansion causes the ground to push against the foundation walls and cause them to curve inward.
Luckily, you can prevent this by insulating the soil to help mitigate the effects of freezing and expansion.
How To Repair A Bowed Wall
Are you worried about a bowing wall and wondering whether there are any fixes? Is your home doomed? Don’t worry—bowing walls can usually be repaired.
Wall Anchors For Deeply Bowing Walls
Wall anchors are special devices that can stabilize and repair severe wall bowing. These devices connect the wall to stable soil located further away from the structure’s foundation.
Experts install steel rods through the wall and anchor them in the soil outside. Then, they attach a plate to the interior side of the wall. As the anchor is tightened, it pulls the wall back toward its original position.
Three methods are used: C-channel wall anchors, helical tie-back wall anchors, and wall plate anchor systems.
• C-channel wall anchors: C-channel wall anchors effectively reinforce and stabilize bowing walls. Experts insert steel channels into the wall and anchor them. The anchors resemble long, vertical metal beams.
• Helical tie-back wall anchors: These anchors consist of steel shafts with welded helical plates experts drive into the ground to add stability and pull back bowing walls into their initial place.
• Wall plate anchors: This type of wall reinforcement system consists of a steel plate attached to the inside of a wall and connected by a rod to an external anchor buried in stable soil.
Bracing Systems
Bracing systems involve the installation of internal supports within the basement to strengthen and stabilize a bowing wall. These are effective systems usually used for less serious cases of bowing.
Two of the most common bracing systems are steel I-beams and carbon fiber straps.
• Steel I-beams: Steel I-beams are often shaped like a capital “I” and experts install them vertically along the bowing wall. These beams offer immediate support, removing the risk of further bowing and helping maintain the home’s structural integrity.
• Carbon fiber straps: Are you looking for the most modern solution to fixing a bowing wall? Consider carbon fiber straps created from the highest-quality, most durable, yet lightweight materials. Experts apply these straps to the wall with epoxy, providing instant reinforcement and stability. While steel I-beams can be bulky, carbon fiber straps are thin.
Can I Repair A Bowed Wall Alone?
You might be tempted to tackle home repairs yourself — but when it comes to fixing a bowing wall, leave the hard work to the experts.
That’s because, without proper knowledge and the right tools, you can cause even more structural damage and possibly injure yourself. Instead, call a reliable foundation repair service to assess the situation and start repairs immediately.
Contact Quality Foundation Repair Today
Do you have a bowing wall and aren’t sure what to do next? Place your trust in the expert hands of Quality Foundation Repair, serving Austin, Texas, and areas such as Pflugerville, Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, and San Marcos.
Contact us for foundation repair services, including foundation inspection, crawl space repair, slab foundation, house leveling, and residential foundation.
For more information, call us 24/7 at (512) 522-9907.
Reach out today for a free estimate.
