Bowing Foundation Wall Repair in Oklahoma & Arkansas
How to identify and repair issues due to foundation wall failure
Signs to look for in bowing foundations
When the soil around your home expands, it causes the foundation walls to move inward, resulting in noticeable bowing or cracking. There are a number of signs to be on the lookout for, like cracks in the foundation walls that are horizontal or stair-step, bowing or bulging walls, walls that are sliding inward toward the bottom or leaning in at the top, or diagonal cracks in the corners of poured concrete walls. In addition, you may notice wet or expansive clay soils around the exterior of your home coupled with damaged walls.
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The cause of cracked and bowing foundation walls
There are a number of factors that can cause tremendous pressure on your foundation walls, resulting in leaning or collapsing walls. How much pressure depends on four things: the type of soil, how much moisture is in the soil, how far underground the foundation is, and the temperature. When there is expansive clay soil surrounding your home, hydrostatic pressure, and frost, pressure is exerted on the foundation walls. Additionally, when soil becomes saturated with water from roof runoff it becomes heavy and even more expansive, leading to foundation wall problems. That’s why your gutters and downspouts need to be taken into consideration if they are contributing to water that’s collecting around the foundation of your home.