Basement Waterproofing Case Studies: Wall Crack Repair in Sterling, VA

Friday, January 17th, 2020 by Crystal Bonner

Challenge

A homeowner in Sterling, VA had a vertical crack in his basement that was allowing water to come through when it rained. Vertical cracks are usually due to soil settlement. Settling soil creates additional pressure on a foundation wall and can lead to cracking. Vertical cracks often admit significant amounts of water and must be repaired as it becomes worse if it is ignored.

Solution

3 Pros Basement Systems has the solution to these vertical foundation cracks. We use a product called FlexiSpan. FlexiSpan is a patented crack repair system that was developed after years of research. The FlexiSpan system is an alternative to epoxy injection, another crack-sealing technique sometimes used by contractors. FlexiSpan is a fix that won't fail! This crack repair system from Basement Systems provides fail safe protection from leaking cracks. It seals the crack but also includes a hidden foam strip to channel any possible water seepage to the sump pump.

Project Summary

Evaluator: Matt Pascual

This foundation has a large crack that was allowing water to come through it.

First, the crack was sealed with a bead of special flexible sealant that will slow and, in most cases, stop the flow of water through the crack.

Next, a 3 1/2" FlexiSpan foam drainage strip is applied over the sealant and tucked into our waterproofing system on the floor.

Tape is applied to the walls on the sides of the FlexiSpan foam to give the caulk a nice clean and straight edge.

Then a second layer of sealant was added over the top of the matting. This holds the structure in place against the wall, while sealing out moisture and maintaining flexibility.