We offer crack injection and crack filling in Plainfield, Naperville, Bolingbrook, Oswego and all of the west Chicago suburbs.
All poured concrete eventually cracks. The important thing is knowing when those cracks need to be repaired. Interior vertical and diagonal cracks that seep can be injected. We fill the crack in the poured concrete wall and stop the leak.
Horizontal cracks and “step” cracks are often a sign of a structural problem. If you need horizontal cracks fixed, read more about our structural repair services here. [insert link to foundation repair service page]
Which cracks need to be injected?
A vertical or diagonal crack needs to be injected for a few reasons. One, the crack needs to be filled if it is growing in length or getting wider. It is normal for concrete to develop some hairline cracks over time as it cures.
However, a crack that’s growing or expanding quickly (or is suddenly seeping) is more of a cause of concern. Quickly growing cracks could be a sign that the ground has shifted and opened up the cracks enough so that dirt or water is inside of them. Unfilled cracks like this can let water, dirt, and bugs into your home.
More obviously, another reason a vertical or diagonal crack needs to be injected is if it’s leaking water. Get in touch with us today if you have a leaking wall crack. We are here to help!
Epoxy is most often used when the concrete already has a great deal of steel rebar embedded in it. This means that the concrete has added rigidity. Therefore, it is not as prone to movement caused by seismic activity.
Large, commercial buildings and parking garages are examples of this type of rigid construction. While usually less expensive than urethane, epoxy is also generally less flexible when it comes to withstanding ground movement.
Hydrophobic (water repellant) urethane (or polyurethane) is used when greater flexibility for ground movement is essential. Residential poured concrete foundations are almost never as rigidly constructed as commercial buildings, so urethane, in its liquid form, is injected into the crack. As it cures, it expands in contact with air and water to fill the void in the concrete left by the crack.
Which cracks can be patched?
Concrete floors can develop shrinkage or settlement cracks. They usually aren’t a problem if they are ⅛” wide or less. The structure should also have a viable drain tile system in place so that there isn’t any water seeping up through them.
Often, floor cracks can be an aesthetic problem for some homeowners. If you want to have floor cracks patched, our team can inject them with hydraulic cement.
Another type of crack that is often patched is an exterior vertical hairline foundation wall crack, often found just aboveground level. As long as the crack hasn’t extended through the foundation wall (and if it’s seeping), it can be patched to keep ice from forming in it during the winter months.
Basement seepage
A foundation wall crack may extend below the floor and through the footing (the base on which the walls rest). Because concrete is a porous material and wicks water from the ground - a typical yard of cured concrete can hold gallons of water - dark or damp spots may appear from time to time. This happens especially when the ground is saturated.
If there is enough pressure from the water beneath the floor, weeping or seepage may occur. This is quite common and not a failure of the wall crack repair. However, it is an indication of potential sump pump failure or that the drain tile system may be
overwhelmed by the volume of water it is trying to evacuate through the sump pit.
Rest assured, our team of experts know how to properly diagnose cracks and choose the best solution for them.
We offer crack injections and patching services in Plainfield, Romeoville, Naperville, St. Charles, Batavia, Aurora, Bolingbrook, and the entire west suburban Chicago area.