Horizontal Wall Cracks? What's Really Occurring

Horizontal wall cracks can be more dangerous than stair-stepping or vertical cracks. These horizontal cracks usually mean that your wall is failing because expansive soils are pressing against your foundation wall. Without proper care, horizontal cracks will widen over time and eventually the wall will completely fail.

What causes horizontal wall cracks?

Expansive soil is the culprit behind horizontal wall cracks. Clay-rich soils around your home will expand and contract as they become wet or dry out. When the clay soil is wet, it can expand enough to put extreme pressure on your foundation walls. The walls will be forced inwards and buckle or crack. In addition to horizontal cracks, you may also notice that the walls are tilting at the top or pushing in at the bottom of the wall.

If you let this damage go unchecked for too long, the wall cannot be repaired. However, an expert can repair your failing walls in as little as a day!

Repairing horizontal wall cracks

Fortress uses GeoLock Wall Anchors to correct cracked or bowing walls. These anchors can permanently stabilize your failing wall and eventually work on straightening the walls back to their original position. The reach deep into the soil outside your foundation walls to counteract the pressure caused by expansive soil.

Sometimes access to the soil beyond your foundation isn't accessible. If that's the case, the PowerBrace Wall Repair System or the CarbonArmor Wall Stabilization System can be installed to stabilize the foundation wall. The PowerBrace System, for example, can be tightened over time to help your foundation walls stand straight once more.

If you’re looking for contracting experts in Max Meadows and the surrounding areas, look no further than Fortress Foundation Solutions. We are the premier foundation repair and waterproofing professionals! Call us at 1-434-473-7012 or contact us online for a free estimate!