Structural Vs. Waterproofing Issues
03/18/23
“BUT THAT CRACK HAS NEVER LEAKED.”
We hear this a lot during our estimates. Acculift visits over 1000 homes each year that are experiencing foundation issues. Most often, one of two things creates a concern that warrants a professional opinion – LEAKS and CRACKS.
Leaks are by far the most pressing issue that makes a homeowner pick up the phone and call us. That makes sense – water in our basements (especially when it is finished) causes us to immediately have to drop what we are doing and tend to the water issues. But just because your basement is dry does not mean that there isn’t an issue.
Foundation problems can be separated into two buckets (pardon the pun if you are currently emptying buckets of water out of your basement) – Structural problems and Waterproofing problems. Sometimes you have one without the other. Sometimes they both occur at the same time due to the same underlying conditions. But the solutions for getting your basement dry are different than the solutions that can structurally stabilize your basement.
So, how do you know if you have a structural issue? How do you know whether or not to be concerned about a crack that has never leaked? That’s what estimates are for – to evaluate your foundation in person. During your estimate, we evaluate the parts of the basement that we can visually see. We also ask questions about the history of the property since that provides a lot of clues to determine the underlying condition. We discuss your foundation issues and concerns, along with ballpark pricing for solutions so that we can jointly discuss which direction to guide you. Ultimately, the estimate is a result of our evaluation and your goals/budget.
In separate posts, we will cover more in-depth when cracks should be a concern and when they may be benign. If you are ever concerned about your foundation cracks, please contact our office and schedule an estimate.
Our Guaranteed Solution
When you call us for help, our structural engineer will thoroughly evaluate your situation, propose a detailed plan of repair, and ensure that any recommended work is done correctly and safely. Our goal is to help your structure last for many years, giving you peace of mind and a safer home.