Amherst NY

Build`g Dept

prepared by U.S.Army Corps of Engineers

-Foundation Movement,Causative Factors

http://amherst.ny.us/pdf/building/soilsstudy/TOASFS_section3.pdf

Overview

..suggests foundation movement may result from a wide range of factors including...

1)compression of a soft layer...

2)shrinkage-swelling of clays...

3)soil softening...

4)compression of filled ground

5)frost heave

6)variations in groundwater...

7)erosion

8)nearby construction or excavation

9)chemical attack on foundations

10)collapse of mine workings...

11)vibration

3.2 Lateral Wall Pressure

Four Sources Likely Contributed to lateral pressures on basement walls...

1)pressure from soil weight

2)pressure from soil swell

3)hydrostatic pressure

4)pressure from frost

3.2.1 Symptoms

The inward bowing of a basement wall is the simplest indication of a lateral pressure problem......Along the length of the wall, the maximum bowing will often occur near the center of the wall....

Cracking can also occur when stresses induced by lateral pressure exceed the strength of the concrete or CMU wall....

Excessive lateral pressure can affect the overall integrity of a house.....Like other major fractures, water and pests can easily enter the basement...

3.2.6 Summary

Clay-rich soils often present long term problems as backfill materials...

Some Pic`s, scroll down a tad

http://www.lrb.usace.army.mil/missions/amherst/index.html

Pic`s of Injections-gone-wrong

about 50% of all injections RE-Leak

http://web.mac.com/deanteaster/sponge/Photo_Gallery.html

some are better than others,Exterior waterproofing is the best option, always has been.You want to inject a crack in poured wall then thats your choice.

many charge $400-600 for injection that may indeed re-leak, doesn`t take long and very little materials used,hardly-any-labor involved.

versus exterior, a few hundred more on these small jobs.Many Inside Co`s will charge more for an interior system, oh YES they will-do.

point is, exterior requires much more materials and labor, alot more.

see what you get for money you spend

http://www.e-o-f.com/foundation.html#SCAMS

scroll around, see photos,see bentonite injection etc etc.

http://www.amherst.ny.us/pdf/building/soilsstudy/TOASFS_section3.pdf

-Clarifying Damp

http://iafrica.com/diy/repairs/831187.htm

-Basement waterproofing pictures

Cracks on exterior of block walls.

Many have crack(s) like these on Exterior and sometimes these cracks are NOT VISIBLE inside basement.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareConfirm.jsp?collid=51458378912

cracks in parging ofter occurs.

roots can cause problems.

expanding-contracting SOIL against exterior walls often cause problems.

Inside drain tile and baseboard systems w/sumps do NOT repair these cracks,loose parging etc.

Inside systems also do NOT remove,relieve,lessen exterior soil pressures.

Further deterioration of a basement wall/joints between blocks can occur.

Placing carbon fiber straps or beams or using wall anchors does NOT remove,relieve,lessen these exterior pressures.

They might help support the-PART of wall where they are placed...2 different things.

Will still be pressure against the wall(s), cracks,loose parging will still allow water to pass through cracks,can cause mold,efflorescence etc.

Termites and other insects can still-easily enter the basement,house.

Scroll down a bit to question 5....

http://www.jensenengineers.com/FAQs.htm

Q)I called several contractors and each one propsed a DIFFERENT repair plan.WHY?

A)Repair contractors employ estimators who are typically not engineers,using TITLES such as 'Certified Foundation Inspector' or 'Foundation specialist'......

Typically,these estimators will ONLY propose the type-of-repair the company regularly offers,IRRESPECTIVE of YOUR situation.It is not uncommon to call out 5 contractors and receive 5 different repair proposals.

http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/keep_heat_in/chapter_5/chapter_5.cfm

...'basements can account for 20-35% of a homes total heat loss....there is alot of leakage through basement windows,penetrations,through cracks and at the top of the foundation wall'

http://www.irbdirekt.de/daten/iconda/06089010294.pdf

-Intro

'Epoxy injection repair of alive cracks in concrete are prone to deterioration by fatigue resulting from the expansion/contraction of concrete....'

-Past Studies

'...large numbers of studies been reported,however,most of them reported only the effect of repair using UN-exposed specimans based on SIMPLE TESTING'

False Claims from those who constantly state ALL their injections are permanent...nonsense!

-Damage caused by marine clays

--BASEMENT WALLS,CAUSE-RESOLUTION

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/marineclay.htm#2

Most successful repair,EXTERIOR and backfill w/gravel,sand if you have to.

6th paragraph...

http://www.dwightyoderbuilders.com/concrete.cfm

-WET BASEMENTS

http://www.shakeronline.com/dept/building/FAQ.asp

Question-Answer 1 and 5....

-Foundation Cracks Provide Hidden Entry Points for Termites

http://www.utoronto.ca/forest/termite/tips8.htm

-Radon,How radon enters your house

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/physic.html#Character