Deteriorating and failing basement walls
things you should know
Basement walls pull double duty. Not only do they carve out additional living space underground, they also serve as the foundation for everything built above. So when basement walls begin to fail, the entire structure is put at risk. Older homes are particularly vulnerable to basement wall deterioration and failure because of age, and because construction materials and techniques weren’t as refined as they are today.
It’s not uncommon to see basement wall failure in unreinforced masonry materials like brick, hollow block, and mortared rocks. Newer homes, however, can also suffer from failing basement walls due to moisture or soil expansion. No matter the cause, foundation issues must be addressed quickly to preserve the home’s overall integrity.
traditional solutions for failing walls
Repairing a failing or deteriorating basement wall is an expensive and time consumer process. Homeowners typically have only a few options:
- Complete Foundation Repair: This involves digging soil away from the failing wall, jacking up home the home, demolishing the failing wall, and pouring a new concrete foundation.
- Basement Wall Bracing: It’s possible to brace failing basement walls using materials like steel I beams, pressure-treated lumber, or carbon fiber sheeting.
- Wall Anchors: For certain types of failures, contractors can reinforce your basement walls by attaching them to anchors set in more solid earth away from your home.
These repair methods are all time consuming and can come at an incredible cost. And while these methods are all effective for providing support against soil pressure, they do nothing to protect against vertical pressure, or pressure from other natural forces like wind or earthquakes. Fortunately there’s now a better solution.
how nuwal helps failing basement walls
NuWal is a patented engineering system that connects your floor joists with galvanized steel beams encased in concrete footings. Much like traditional repair methods, NuWal provides support from soil pressures. But because NuWal also includes chevron and x-style lateral bracing, the system also supports against vertical pressure and the pressure caused by wind and earthquakes. That’s something other foundation repair methods just can’t do.
NuWal components are made with a proprietary process that forms i beams out of sheet metal. These beams have all the strength of traditional hot rolled steel i beams but at half the weight. That means your NuWal support system will be incredibly strong. It will also be much less expensive than more traditional repair systems because it uses less material and can be installed in as little as 2 to 3 days.
The NuWal system is flexible. It works with a wide variety of foundation types including brick, concrete, concrete masonry block, clay masonry block, or stone and can be configured around architectural features like window wells and staircases. Once the NuWal is installed, homeowners can hang sheetrock over the steel beams to create a brand new finished wall.
If you’re interested in learning how the NuWal system can save your cracked basement walls and save you money along the way, contact us today. You can reach NuWal System by phone at (360)-566-7343 or by filling out the form on our contact page.