How to Repair Cracks and Leaks in Basement Walls and Floors

GardenFork.TV Do you have water leaks in your basement, want to know how to fix basement water leaks? Watch as Eric repairs a crack in his sister's cement basement floor. you can also repair leaking basement concrete walls with this method



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Driveway repair – a valuable yet economical home improvement project

Driveway repair may not be the first thing you think of when considering a home improvement project.  The problems in your driveway tend to happen gradually over time, so they may not be suddenly obvious.  However, driveway repair is a great way to improve the appearance and function of a very noticeable part of your property.

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Mud Pumping During Foundation Repair

Mud Pumping is the process of filling voids under concrete slab foundations, patios, pool decks, and driveways. There are several similar terms used to describe similar processes. Mud Pumping, mudjacking, slab jacking, concrete pumping, and pressure grouting all refer to similar but different processes.

Mudjacking and slab jacking are essentially the same process of pumping concrete or a concrete/mud mixture into voids underneath a concrete slab in an effort to raise the slab. Usually this works with smaller slabs such as driveways and patios. It is far more difficult and complex to raise a concrete slab foundation and the entire attached commercial building or home with this method. Concrete pumping is a similar process but it may use a high or low strength concrete. Mud pumping and pressure grouting refer to a process of simply filling voids underneath a concrete slab foundation without trying to raise the foundation or structure. This will give the foundation the support it needs between itself and the ground. Usually the commercial or home foundation will have been raised, stabilized and leveled by a repair contractor prior to the mud pumping or pressure grouting.

When there has been an imbalance in the moisture in expansive soils then the concrete slab foundations that rest on top of the soil will experience movement. The movement can be lateral, upward or downward. One example could be a group of shrubs or large trees on one side of a home that is absorbing large amounts of water around and under a portion of the foundation. The expansive soil in this area will shrink relative to the soil in other areas under the foundation because it will have a lower water content. When the soil shrinks too much it will lose contact with the foundation and the foundation has lost its support in that area. If the area is too large then the weight of the building structure and foundation will cause the foundation to crack and "fall." That series of events will cause structural damage to the commercial building or home and may necessitate the need for home foundation repair or commercial foundation repair.

Many times after the leveling process has been completed for a home foundation or commercial building foundation there will exist voids under the foundation. A concrete on slab foundation was never designed to be a "bridge" and support weight between two support points. This type of foundation was designed to rest on the soil underneath and the soil provides the ultimate support for the foundation and the attached building or home. Therefore the repair contractor should fill these larger voids so that the concrete slab foundation can "rest" on the ground.

Regardless of the reason for the void under the home foundation, mud pumping should be used to fill any large voids with a low strength cement or a slurry of mud and cement. If interior bell bottom piers were installed then they provide easy access to the area of the void. Sometimes one inch holes will be drilled through the slab to allow access to the area of the void. Then the slurry will be pumped under pressure into the voids. At this time all of the water faucets in the home or the commercial building should be turned on to keep a stream of water flowing through the sewer lines. Toilets should be flushed periodically and the washing machine should wash some clothes. This will prevent the slurry from clogging any sewer line that may have a crack or break prior to or during the leveling process.

After the mud pumping process has been completed and the slurry has hardened the work crew will pack the remaining openings in the interior portion of the foundation with a select fill dirt. The openings will then be covered with a layer of plastic sheeting to help prevent moisture from seeping into that area. The area will then be patched with new concrete. The patched area will be smoothed and allowed to dry for a number of days. Outside piers will be packed with sand and/or topsoil. The commercial or home foundation repair job is now complete and the property owner can feel comfortable that this solution will last the life of the property structure.

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Concrete Lawn Ornament and Statue Repair

My husband and I owned a concrete lawn ornament business for 7 years. We bought a lot of concrete in North Carolina, packed it on a 30' trailer, and drove up I 81 through Pennsylvania to get home in central New York. If anyone's ever driven I 81, you know how bad the road surfaces are. Several pieces broke each trip no matter how well we packed them.

We found it quite necessary to learn to repair concrete while we were selling lawn ornaments. Each trip to the hardware store would bring home a new trial of another form of repair for the pieces. Different products would work best for different repairs.

Small holes - Quickrete Vinyl Concrete Patcher is available in powder and readymix patch repair. You can mix a small amount of the powder with water and stuff it into the hole. Whether you use the powder mix or the readymix, wipe any extra off the surface and let it dry thoroughly. You can sand the rough spots with sand paper.

Small cracks - Quickrete works well on the small cracks also. You can mix the powder a little thin. Squeeze the wet mix into the cracks and wipe off the excess.

Small piece broken off - Superglue works well to glue a small piece of concrete back onto concrete. Just make sure both surfaces are clean and fit together tightly. Hold in place until the superglue dries. Try to keep superglue off outside surfaces other than the break.

Large piece broken off - Bondo Body Filler - regular car Bondo - works the best. Bondo is available in red, blue, and grey. The grey is best if you can find it. The Bondo contains two containers and you mix the ingredients. The tube contains the color. The darker you make the color, the quicker the piece dries and sets up. Keep this in mind when you are mixing. You can file or sand off the excess. You will likely have to paint a piece after it has been repaired with Bondo to cover the repair.

Several pieces - When a concrete lawn ornament has broken into several pieces it is best repaired with Bondo.

When doing lawn ornament and statue repair, you will find that some products did not match up color as well as others, so this must be taken into consideration if you are not painting the piece after you repair it. You may want to paint a piece after the repair just to completely hide the repair.

Once a concrete piece is repaired properly, it is as strong as new. It's great to be able to repair a damaged piece that you care a lot about.

Copyright 2006 Alice Scott

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Does Concrete Crack Repair Really Work?

There have been many attempts over the years to fix cracks rather than the expensive alternative to removing concrete and repouring. Despite all the efforts concrete crack repair remedies didn't always work due to flaws of product capabilities.

The Next Generation of Repair Products

The evolution of concrete products has been learned from coatings. For example acrylic sealers are the most inexpensive coating and have been used for years to protect concrete surfaces. They led to the use of epoxies and urethanes that have been the standard industrial coatings for decades. Variations have been produced. However these products are simple chemical combinations with little variance.

In recent years polyurea and polyaspartics have been developed that are complex chemicals that when combined produce unique results. Polyureas have the unique ability to "wet" into concrete. What this means is that when applied to a porous cement surface they actually absorb into the pores like water soaks into a sponge rather than sticking to a surface like a piece of tape as is the case with epoxies. When the polyureas cure they become part of the concrete.

So polyureas are now the top of the pyramid of coating and repair product evolution.

Features of Polyaspartics and Polyureas

As mentioned polyureas will absorb into a porous cement surface. Polyaspartics are added to polyureas which will increase or decrease the cure time depending on the situation. This is extremely unique in the hands of an experienced applicator. The combination can be adjusted depending on the temperature and climate. In a hot weather climate like Florida the cure time can be slowed while in Minnesota the cure time can be increased. This has opened up new markets and opportunities for coating applicators. For instance a garage floor can be resurfaced in a day with a result that would take 3-4 days for a result superior to an epoxy.

For commercial and industrial floors the result is more profound. The rapid cure capabilities enable an applicator to apply a high performance coating without the business having to shut down. This saves the business money and opens up a new opportunity for an applicator.

Polyureas as a Concrete Crack Repair Product

Concrete is one of the most used commodities on the planet and always cracks. Until recently crack fillers lacked a few critical components preventing them from performing. First they are typically too thick to flow to the bottom of the crack. Cracks are seldom straight. A four inch thick cracked slab might have a dog leg part way down. If the crack filler is too thick it would stop at the first angle. The problem is that cracks are like vents for moisture vapor. If the crack is not filled to the bottom moisture vapor will travel up the crack and work real hard to push weakness out of the way.

The second major issue is for crack filler to cure below the surface and frequently a damp surface. Moisture vapor that travels upwards through a crack will make the porous walls of the crack damp. Crack fillers don't have a chance. They usually stay wet and never cure. For years it's always been thought that what you can't see can't hurt you.

Imagine all the millions of dollars worth of crack filler worldwide that doesn't work. Polyureas have solved that problem. Keep in mind that all polyureas are not the same. However they can be thin enough to be poured into a crack and flow all the way to the bottom. As mentioned earlier they have the ability to wet into concrete so when filled into a crack they are absorbed into the walls and become part of the slab.

Amazing but true that they have the ability to cure below the surface and are activated by moisture. Finally they can flex with movements in the floor. Not only are they an extraordinary crack repair product but polyureas can be used to repair flaws in the surface. In fact polyureas are being used to fix floors that look like they have no hope.

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Your Garage Door Repair - Choosing a Service

Finding a professional to do the job isn't something you should take lightly, but by following some guidelines, you can be sure to make the right choice.

Starting with the Right Information

Before you hire someone to do your garage door repair, it is a good idea to know exactly what's wrong. If a car crashed into your garage and caused structural damage such as a large dent or a hole, then the problem is obvious.

If the problem is mechanical, either with an electric unit or a standard unit that just is not opening and closing right, try to get to the heart of the problem. The more you know about what needs to be fixed, the better choice you can make when it comes to hiring a service.

Screening Services

Even if you want your garage door repair done as soon as possible, it is still a good idea to take your time when hiring someone to do it. One great resource you can use is the Better Business Bureau. By going to their website and doing some searching, you can find contractors in your area who are accredited and have the best ratings.

From there, you can do more research on the contractors that interest you, even going so far as to call them to ask about their experience in this type of work, and if they offer guarantees. When you make your final choice, you should feel confident about it.

An Opportunity to Learn

When your garage repair is being done, you can take this time as an opportunity to learn. For instance, if a mechanical problem is being worked on, do not be afraid to ask questions about what went wrong and how you could have prevented it. If the damage is structural, watch how the work is done, and ask about materials and tools that are used. You may be able to do the job yourself the next time if you learn enough.

Hopefully you will not need a lot of garage door repair for your home, but it's good to choose wisely when you do need it. This part of your home is usually very visible, so you want to make sure that it always looks it is best, and that it functions it is best in order to ensure your convenience and safety.

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Damaged Driveway - Repair Or Replace? Three Things You Must Consider

Your driveway is the entrance to your home and one of the first things to get noticed by visitors. If the driveway is busted or overwhelmed with unappealing cracks it can leave an unpleasant impression. More often than not, this is a problem that goes unaddressed.

If you have a driveway that is cracked or busted and are ready to address the problem you have two basic choices, replace or repair. Three things you must consider when making the decision to replace or repair.

1. Most driveways are a minimum of four inches thick. Natural stresses caused this four inch thick slab of concrete to literally tear itself apart. These stresses include expansion and contraction due to heat and cold, the weight of vehicle traffic, and movement of the substrate. Any crack repair material placed within these fractures will undoubtedly suffer a similar fate as the original slab of concrete, failure.

2. Driveway replacement can be expensive but if performed correctly can provide you with fifty plus years of solid use. If you decide to replace a concrete driveway make sure the contractor uses a four thousand psi mix of concrete poured at a minimum of four inches; furthermore, steel reinforcement should be added for increased tensile strength to compliment the already high compressive strength of concrete.

3. Over time, a driveway's surface can become weathered and lose its finish. There are a variety of overlays available. Although relatively expensive, when compared to the cost of replacement, these overlays can be a viable option. I don't suggest overlaying cracked or busted concrete; however, if the desired effect is simply a nicer finish then overlay can do the trick.

Concrete repair can be a risky endeavor. Far too often, I see a repair gone wrong, a costly mistake that never should have been attempted in the first place. Every day, home owners waste money on costly repairs that fail. That being said, cracks can be filled to prevent moisture penetration and good concrete can be overlaid for aesthetic appeal.

Many times, due to budget restraints, the best solution is to simply cut out and replace only the most severely damaged sections. This way, you spend less money and the repair is solid.

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Foundation Leak Repair

Water is the main culprit in a major portion of foundation problems. Whether the foundation is of poured concrete, block concrete or stone, continuous water seepage creates cracks which can often be disastrous if ignored.

Cracks due to water seepage are found in the corners of the walls, or where the bricks, stone or concrete slabs join together. If the ground water has enough hydrostatic pressure to allow the water to seep through the foundation, then cracks occur. These cracks begin as small hairline cracks and widen as time passes.

There are two basic methods to repairing foundation leaks at home or in the basement - the urethane injection and the drainage tile repair.

The urethane injection is a comparatively simple process. In this process, the crack is sealed first to prevent any water from oozing out. Holes are then made in the crack and an epoxy resin is injected into the crack. The repair is complete when resin fills the entire crack. Urethane injections cost only a few hundreds of dollars and the time taken for the entire work to the completed won't stretch beyond a couple of hours. However, the urethane injections can only be applied to small cracks. Also there is the danger of the crack reopening and water seeping in once again.

The drainage tile repair is a lengthy process. First the floor tiles of the affected area are uprooted and a drain tile is fitted. This is then connected to a sump pump or any other legally allowed water removal system. Once this is done, the floor tiles are replaced. This process takes a few days and costs run to thousands of dollars. However, this is a much more permanent method than the injection. One problem may be the malfunctioning of the sump pump. This may cause flooding due to excessive leakage.

Urethane injections are okay if the crack is small, but if the crack has been ignored and has become large and gaping, it is better to repair it using a drainage tile. For larger leaks outside the house, a more extensive method is employed. A trench is dug at the affected place and the drainage tile is replaced if necessary. The trench is then filled - first with coarse gravel to make it more waterproof and then with the soil. This method is used even when dams spring a leak in their foundation.

Repairing foundation leaks is a costly business, but more than that it is a time-consuming and laborious process. However, it is one of those repair works which just cannot be ignored.

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