Repair a Hole in a Block Foundation Wall

There are two kinds of block foundation: concrete block and poured concrete. Concrete blocks are traditional means of creating a block foundation, whereas poured concrete is considered a more contemporary approach. Despite the modernity of poured concrete, there are still many who prefer concrete blocks. Concrete blocks tend to be more visually striking and stronger than poured concrete. However, just like any other material, concrete blocks also degrade through time. The major cause of cracks and holes in most concrete foundation is water. When water seeps into the foundation, holes and cracks are created. Some holes and cracks may not be as evident but throughout time they can widen into problematic dimensions. Before repairing a hole or a crack in a block foundation, it is important to investigate first the cause of the problem and where it originates.

Causes of Holes and Cracks

Aside from water seepage, there are several reasons why block foundations have holes or cracks. During summer, it is highly likely that soil will lose its moisture. Because of this, some underground roots tend to shrink and die. When this happens, there is soil contraction which causes the block foundation to move. Although the movement is low, over time, repeated soil contraction can cause the development of holes and cracks. Some holes or cracks tend to run along the entire wall of the foundation. Some tiny holes also develop in specific places. Regardless of the cause, when holes and cracks are continuously ignored, the situation can turn to worse. Repair should be done soon as the problem is recognized or becomes apparent. The complexity of repairing holes and cracks depends on how big they are.

Repair for Tiny Holes and Cracks

Repairing tiny holes and cracks is easy to do. Almost anyone can do it. The following steps will serve as guide to fixing these problems:

1. Using a wire brush, brush clean the cracks and the holes. Water may be used to make sure that all loose concrete particles are removed.
2. Le the hole or the crack dry for quite some time.
3. Fill the cracks and holes with concrete caulk.
4. If the hole or crack is too big for concrete caulk to deal with, there are patching materials available. These materials are specifically designed to fix any hole or crack in the block foundation. It is important to remember that when applying the patching materials, they should be wet. Because they are limestone based, once the patching materials dry, they will expand and completely fill the holes and cracks.
5. Sealant should be applied as a final coating.

Other Concrete Repairing Techniques

Other methods of repairing holes and cracks include urethane injections. Some people use this to draw out embedded water. The kind of repairing method depends on the kind of problem. other repairing methods also include:

• C Channels (or Pilasters) - this is considered one of the most feasible foundation repair method. This method utilizes big steel beams that placed in between the floor joists and the floor.
• Wall pin/stitch- basically the main idea behind this method is to fill the holes and cracks with concrete.

For more information, consult a construction specialist.