Methods of Foundation Repair for Long Island Homeowners

Choosing from the different methods of foundation repair can be a pretty overwhelming problem, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for or how to begin to solve a problem once it has been identified. Fortunately, many foundation contractors in Long Island are available to assist when you suspect trouble.

 

Foundation Repair Methods

There are two main types of moderate foundation cracking. The first is the result of shrinking. Shrinking occurs over time as the home begins to settle into its foundation. Over time, as wood or stone construct dries out and the climate ages a structure, the materials will shrink. They don’t shrink much- in fact, you’ll rarely notice a change unless you begin to see telltale signs like cracking or crumbling. In older homes, you are more likely to find shrinkage cracks than any other kind of foundation damage.

Foundation cracks are usually repaired by replacing the aged and warped materials. Most foundation crack repair specialists in Long Island will do this by chipping away at the areas of cracked foundation and then re-filling the gap with new concrete, brick, or other materials. This is the most effective way of handling shrinkage cracks because the replacement materials will likely last for decades, leaving your next foundation repair job far into the future.

Another way that foundation contractors in Long Island repair shrinkage cracks is through the use of epoxies or other sealants. In these situations, a thick almost glue-type sealant will be applied to the crack to fill up any gaps and prevent the crack from spreading any further. Most experts will tell you that this is a fine solution for cracks that are not serious if you are working on a budget, but the fix won’t last as long as a chip-and-patch job.

The second kind of moderate crack damage that Long Island foundation contractors often see are the result of water entry leaks. These normally occur around the base of a structure and are the result of melting snow, rain, high tides, or other outdoor moisture leaking into the basement, crawlspace, or slab of a building. Occasionally, the same kind of foundation cracks can occur as the result of faulty plumbing. If there is a pipe leaking within your crawlspace or basement, moisture will begin to gather around the lower edge of the structure and these water entry cracks will form. Similarly, if your basement floods, your home will be at a magnified risk of developing water entry cracks.

Foundation contractors in Long Island usually repair water entry cracks with the use of a polyurethane foam. The foam is sprayed into the crack, completely sealing out any moisture that might otherwise cause the cracks to spread. It is important that the cracks are bone dry at the time the polyurethane foam is applied. Normally, a Long Island contractor would use a dryer to ensure that the crack is completely free of moisture before moving forward with the crack repair. Additionally, the foam sometimes can take up to 24 hours to dry completely and harden. For this reason, many contractors will usually use a tarping system to keep moisture away from the repair job until it is fully set

Foundation contractors in Long Island are adamant that only an expert should work on any foundation repair job you may come across. While these fixes might seem like easy work to you, it is important to consider the long-term effects of a foundation repair job that is not completed properly. If your water entry cracks are the result of a leaking pipe or otherwise faulty plumbing, repairing the foundation problem and forgetting the underlying issue will only cause more problems for you down the road.

Similarly, you should keep in mind that foundation repair is not all it seems to be, especially in a climate like Long Island where the weather can sometimes play tricks on us and bend all the rules of home upkeep. What seems like a shrinkage or water entry crack could very well be the result of a bigger problem masquerading as a small issue.   Calling a Long Island contractor to check out the damage before anyone moves ahead with the repair will ensure that the cracks are being repaired correctly and there are no surprises in store for your future.