Kansas City, MO Foundation Repair and Foundation Inspectors
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Wall anchors are type of foundational support and repair that permanently stabilizes cracked and bowed walls, offering the best opportunity to straighten walls without the cost and soil disruption of foundation replacement. A series of strong galvanized earth anchors are embedded in the undisturbed soil away from the foundation. Another set of heavy duty anchors are installed in your walls. Each anchor is connected by a steel rod to a wall plate that provides support and distributes the pressure evenly throughout the area. These anchors will be able to help support your walls because they will provide an equalizing balance that grips on to your walls, and holds back the pressure. This method may also straighten your bowed walls back to their former position; however, full wall correction cant be guaranteed. This will stop all inward movement, and can overtime correct walls back to their former position.
Stone retaining walls are commonly used to hold back the dirt and earth of a landscape in order to create different contours and to allow a leveled area for development. Reinforcing these walls is a must to ensure they are strong enough to hold back the land, and keep your structure safe. Although building retaining walls may not be a difficult project, it will require hard labor and attention to detail. A wall that is above 3 feet will definitely need to be reinforced. Some precautions will need to be taken once a wall reaches or surpasses 3 feet that will help it stay in place because of the high amount of pressure pushing on the wall from one side. Metal ties and rebar are spread within the wall to reinforce it. There are a number of rebar technics and crossovers that can be placed in walls to more fully secure them. A concrete footer will also be poured beneath the wall to help make a strong foundation for a retaining wall. Other walls will also use rebar, metal ties, and footers to reinforce the walls. Sometimes a set of steel I-bars or carbon fiber piers may be drilled into the ground next to the wall to reinforce it, and keep it stable. There are a number of options that may be available to you when trying to fix bowed or cracked walls, so consulting a professional will really help to know what is best for your situation. |
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Why are my walls uneven?
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As the heavy compacted dirt around your home pushes on a foundation, walls and floors may begin to experience damage. The foundation of your home may also begin to shift and sink. A few indicators that your structures foundation may need repair is when cracks and sinking become visible in the walls and floor of your basement or crawlspace. The foundation walls will begin to buckle and bow noticeably as the weight of the shifting soil bears down on them. Doors and windows around your home may also become harder to open and close and may stick instead of gliding smoothly. Cracks in your foundation , exterior, and interior walls will form cracks. These cracks will allow moisture to enter your home, leading to mold and other water related issues. Trying to path up the cracks will only be a temporary fix, as the foundation will still shift over time. Compromised walls may bring uninvited insects who love to hide in small cracks and crannies. The floors of your home will begin to sink and buckle as well, creating uneven surfaces in your home. Wooden floors will become more squeaky when walked on will also occur as the floor boards are shifted from the sinking foundation. Continually maintaining the damaged structure will not fix the current damages to your walls; however, foundational repair will provide a reinforced foundation and support basement walls. Therefore, fixing your foundation should be a great interest in maintaining your home so that the problems do not intensify over time.
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What causes a wall to bow?
Wall reinforcement will make your walls steady and secure. Sometimes under weight and pressure, walls will begin to bow and crack. Therefore, it is important to make these walls sturdy by building them correctly. When clay-like soils become wet, they begin to expand, creating a lot of pressure on basement walls. As this pressure surpasses the walls ability to hold it back, then the wall begins to crack and/or tilt.
Heavy rains or snow falls will cause dirt to become soaked, possibly leading to foundational wall damage. Concrete slabs on the exterior may expand in warmer weather, putting pressure on interior walls. Pressure can also be created as concrete slabs shift themselves. Other factors may include large tree roots pushing on the surrounding area, soil expansion due to frost, and poor grading and leveling on the exterior can also lead to foundation damage.
Heavy rains or snow falls will cause dirt to become soaked, possibly leading to foundational wall damage. Concrete slabs on the exterior may expand in warmer weather, putting pressure on interior walls. Pressure can also be created as concrete slabs shift themselves. Other factors may include large tree roots pushing on the surrounding area, soil expansion due to frost, and poor grading and leveling on the exterior can also lead to foundation damage.
Can you really straighten a wall?
Unfortunately straightening a wall can be guaranteed depending on the damage that already exists. There are several methods of fixing the walls and supporting them in their current position, but a full fix will be hard to come by. Although wall anchors may be the best method in stopping further damage to basement walls, they can only support it in its current position. A series of I-beams may be your best bet in straightening walls as a series of steel beams are placed right up to the wall to hold it in place. These beams will create a permanent hold against the wall. Other methods that have been used in the past will create only a temporary solution to bowed walls. Adding another wall in front of the bowed wall will only cover up the problem, and leave the foundation in peril. Walls could be replaced; however, that does not ensure that they do not bend again in the future.