Foundation Focus: Bowing Walls

Seeing your foundation wall crack or bow can be scary! This is the structure that is holding up the home that your family is in every day, the thought of having wall failure under your very feet can feel terrifying and stressful. When it comes to bowing walls, it is important to address the concern and stabilize the foundation wall quickly to stop any further advancement. Here we will talk about our solutions to bowing walls and how each solution can help save your foundation from failure!

CarbonArmor

For basement walls that have just started to bow in the middle and don’t currently show signs of sliding at the top or bottom of the foundation, CarbonArmor is a great option. Our least invasive solution, CarbonArmor uses carbon fiber-reinforced polymers that are stronger than steel but flexible enough to contour to the basement wall, creating a strong adhesion between the carbon fiber fabric and concrete wall. With this method, it is installed on the interior, meaning it can be installed year-round and there is no disruption to the exterior lawn or landscaping.

PowerBrace

The PowerBrace system is designed to permanently stabilize your home’s foundation. Zinc-plated steel beams are custom fit to the height of the basement and are secured to the wall with brackets and anchored to the basement floor. These beams add strong support to the basement wall and can potentially help straighten the wall over time. This solution is also installed on the interior, like CarbonArmor, so there is no disturbance to the exterior of the home.

GeoLock Wall Anchors

GeoLock Wall Anchors are a versatile solution since they can stabilize a variety of concerns, like bowing or tipping walls, even walls pushing in from the bottom. They are the best option for severe wall issues and have the greatest ability to straighten the wall over time but do require exterior work. The heavy-duty steel earth anchor is embedded in the stable soil away from the home and connected to the interior steel wall plate by a galvanized steel rod. Once the plates are tightened, they provide secure stabilization to the concerning wall and can continue to be tightened over time.

Each solution is a great option but is dependent on the state your foundation wall is in. If you have a bowing wall that is causing you concern, reduce that stress and have one of our inspectors out for a free estimate! They will take the time to educate you on the areas of concern and how these solutions can help you keep your foundation stable and your family safe!