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Why is my basement wall cracked?

Preventing, diagnosing, repairing cracks preserve basement walls

Oct. 2, 2017 –  Basement walls crack for a variety of reasons. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) October 1 Soils Matter blog post explains how they form—and which ones to be wary of.

Cracking basement wall“Most basement wall cracks can change seasonally, depending on where you live,” says Christina Hebb, a soil scientist with Duraroot. “Water is the threat to the foundation.”

Whether you’re building a new home or if you’re a long time homeowner, there are several questions you may need to ask yourself about your basement foundation:

  • How do I know if I need a foundation repair?
  • Can I prevent a water issue?
  • Do I live in an area where expanding soils occur?
  • Does the climate vary significantly from season to season?
  • Should I install drain tiles to help deal with excess water around my basement?
  • What is the capacity of my sump pump?
  • What type of crack am I dealing with?

To read the entire blog post, visit https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/2017/10/01/why-is-my-basement-wall-cracked/

Follow SSSA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SSSA.soils, Twitter at SSSA_Soils. SSSA has soils information on www.soils.org/discover-soils, for teachers at www.soils4teachers.org, and for students through 12th grade, www.soils4kids.org.

The ACSESS is an international scientific and professional society with its headquarters in Madison, WI.