Foundation crack repair in Wilkes-Barre
Not every foundation crack is a problem, and some are a sign of something bigger. Here is how to tell them apart, and how to get the right one looked at.
Cracks that are often minor
- Thin vertical cracks in poured concrete, hairline width, often near windows or corners. Concrete shrinks as it cures, and many walls crack this way in the first years.
- Small cracks in a basement floor slab that stay dry and flat.
Even minor cracks can let in water or soil gas, so they are still worth sealing.
Cracks that need a closer look
- Horizontal cracks in a block or poured wall. These usually mean soil pressure from outside. See bowing basement wall repair.
- Stair-step cracks along block mortar joints, especially if the blocks have shifted.
- Cracks wider at one end than the other, which can point to settling at one corner.
- Cracks that grow, leak, or have edges that no longer line up.
- Cracks with other signs: doors and windows that stick, sloping floors, or gaps at trim upstairs.
How contractors usually fix cracks
- Injection. For a crack in poured concrete, the contractor fills it from the inside with epoxy or polyurethane. Epoxy bonds the wall back together. Polyurethane stays flexible and seals out water.
- Sealing from outside. For a crack that leaks, the soil can be dug away so the crack is sealed and a membrane added on the outside face.
- Repointing or rebuilding block joints where mortar has failed.
- Fixing the cause. If the crack comes from settling or soil pressure, the repair may include piers, braces or anchors, plus better drainage.
Ask the contractor what caused the crack, not only how to close it. A sealed crack can open again if the pressure behind it is still there.
Track it before the visit
- Draw a pencil line across each end of the crack and write the date.
- Measure the widest point with a tape or a coin for scale.
- Photograph it from the same spot each month.
- Note whether it leaks, and after what kind of weather.
Cracks and radon
Cracks and gaps in a foundation are one of the ways radon gas gets into a house. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection says the state has one of the most serious radon problems in the country, with an estimated 40% of tested homes above the EPA’s action guideline. If you have never tested, a simple test kit tells you where you stand. Ask the contractor whether sealing the crack will be part of the repair.
Request a crack inspection
Send a request and choose “Cracks in a wall or floor.” Say where the crack is, whether it is vertical, horizontal or stair-step, how wide it is, and whether it leaks.