Bowing Foundation Wall

Thursday, September 14th, 2023 by Candice Yohey

Challenge

The customer's cold cellar wall was bowing inward with large horizontal cracks. When walls bow, they are being pushed inward by expansive soils or hydrostatic pressure. As a result of water and frost effects, expansive soils push against the wall. Hydrostatic pressure occurs when underground water exerts force against your wall. Horizontal or stair-step cracks along the foundation wall, diagonal cracks at corners, bulges inward, and leaning walls are all symptoms of this problem. All of these things can seriously damage your foundation.

Solution

Using the PowerBrace Foundation Wall Repair System, we permanently stabilized this bowed & cracked foundation wall. With the PowerBrace system, zinc-plated steel beams were custom-fit to the basement wall height and anchored to the floor and floor joists with brackets. With PowerBrace's unique, patented design, the system can be tightened over time, potentially reversing wall failure without invasive drilling.

The installation process was quick and minimally invasive, and the PowerBrace system is guaranteed for life. The system is effective in preventing further foundation damage due to expansion and contraction of the soil, and is a cost-effective and efficient way to stabilize a damaged foundation wall.

Project Summary

Foundation Repair Inspector: Brian McWhirter

Foundation Repair Foreman: Juan Pantojas

Products Installed: The PowerBrace Wall System

The PowerBrace Wall Repair System was custom-fit to the customers cellar wall height and secured tight against the wall with brackets anchored into the floor and floor joists. The PowerBrace System can be tightened over time to straighten and verticalize bowing or tilting walls.