Bowing Walls: What Do I Do?

Bowed basement walls result from too much pressure pushing up against basement walls. The pressure can build up from any number of factors including heavy rain, poor drainage in the soils surrounding the basement walls, buildup of underground water or inadequate grading of the basement walls.

When soil absorbs water, it expands. The same applies to the soil surrounding your basement walls. The expanding soil therefore presses against the foundation walls resulting in the buildup of pressure on the walls.

If the pressure continues unchecked, the walls will begin to cave in. Damage on the walls may begin as a horizontal crack or a leak in the foundation joints. If the problem is left unaddressed, the walls will begin to bow inward. These walls will eventually collapse causing your home to become unstable.

What You Shouldn’t Do

First of all, it is important to remember that fixing bowed walls is not a ’Do-It-Yourself’ job. It is something that you ought to leave to a professional foundation repair contractor. A professional will have the right training, skills, experience and equipment to repair bowing walls.

Trying to fix your own walls is dangerous and may end in a catastrophe for you and your home. Professionals are trained and understand the safety measures to take to ensure that there are no accidents.

It is also important to remember that quick fixes will not address the underlying problem with your foundation. So ensure that you have a long-term solution to save your foundation and your home. Applying quick fixes will only result in a more expensive problem as the damage continues to get worse.

What You Should Do

If you notice that you have bowing walls, contact a professional foundation repair contractor in your area as soon as possible. The contractor will come to your home and inspect the foundation walls. Then he will provide you with an estimate of how much it would cost to repair the wall.

Avoid using a contractor who gives you a quotation for the job without examining your foundation. A thorough examination of the foundation is the only way to identify the underlying problem and determine the best solution for the basement wall repair.

It is important to begin your search for foundation repair contractors as early as possible. This will ensure that you can shop around and compare prices and services. You will find a reliable contractor when you have enough time to look for one.