When exposed to excessive load, groundwater or freezing, the foundation of any building can be damaged. But you can diagnose the damage yourself. There are various ways to repair a foundation yourself.
If you doubt the integrity of the foundation of the house you live in, you need to get it diagnosed.
Foundation survey
If during the inspection you find a crack, you need to determine whether it is progressing. To do this, it is convenient to use regular paper tape. Stick it on the damaged area so that it connects both parts of the crack. Check it once a day for 2 weeks.
If the paper is deformed or torn, then it is necessary to urgently repair or replace it if the damage cannot be repaired. If the crack does not grow, then the damaged foundation can be easily repaired; if the problem does not threaten the integrity of the house, then it can simply be filled with cement mortar.
A more informative way to determine the severity of the damage is by digging holes. A pit is a depression in the ground adjacent to the foundation. It must be the same depth as the foundation, at least a meter long, and there must be at least 2 of them. To avoid collapse, it is necessary to install wooden supports on the walls of the recess.
Digging pits is the most informative way to determine foundation damage. It is recommended to dig it in a possible place of damage. It makes it possible to determine the presence of groundwater, soil composition and immediately begin repairs.
Factors influencing safety
Activities that ensure the preservation of the load-bearing capacity of the supporting foundation of the building can be represented by the following list:
- Correct calculation of the height of the foundation leads to the fact that its base is below the soil freezing line and above the groundwater level. This avoids deformation of the base of the house from winter heaving of the soil and destruction of its mass from the effects of an aggressive humid environment.
- Correct calculation of the bearing capacity will protect the foundation from subsidence.
- Organizing a drainage system will reduce the level of moisture in the soil around the foundation to a minimum.
- High-quality waterproofing will become an insurmountable barrier to the penetration of moisture from the outside into the array of foundation structures.
- All connections between parts of the water supply and sewerage systems must be tight and airtight to avoid leaks.
- The correct placement of vents in the foundation and basement promotes effective air exchange in the basement and basement, which eliminates high humidity and the appearance of fungal and mold formations in the underground.
Common Causes of Damage
The most common reasons for foundation damage are:
- Human impact;
- Unscrupulous attitude towards the construction of the foundation, low-quality materials;
- External influence of natural factors.
The most dangerous thing is the presence of groundwater. In winter, when they freeze, they increase in volume and can damage the foundation. In summer, they can lead to subsidence.
Increased load-bearing capacity
You can repair the foundation of a private brick house yourself. For example, by increasing the load-bearing capacity of the structure, it will be possible to prevent subsidence and destruction.
Especially for this purpose, a new part is laid out along the weakened area. The load can be relieved by using concrete blocks with iron structures inside, which will pass through the base. Newly laid sections are anchored using through-type fasteners.
Attention! It will be necessary to devote a lot of time to repairing the foundation of a brick house, because each stage requires hardening and “gaining strength”
Symptoms of damage
You are quite capable of identifying a violation of the integrity of the foundation in your home. The appearance of cracks and depressions are excellent markers of destruction. It must be remembered that some cracks do not pose a danger to the structure and can simply be filled with cement.
Main symptoms of damage
- The walls begin to crack;
- In the area of destruction, the finish begins to break;
- Obvious violations in the integrity of floor coverings;
- Partial building collapses;
- Damage to the integrity of the soil in areas of possible destruction of the foundation.
How to raise a subsiding foundation
Lifting the subsiding tape will stop the development of cracks and prevent the destruction of the walls of the house. To carry out the work, it is necessary to dig out the entire problematic section of the belt (usually a corner or half of the foundation is cleared) from the ground and secure the trench slope with shields.
Then you can apply two methods:
- Create overstressed concrete clips that take the load on themselves and lift the old tape relative to its previous position.
- Use special chemical reagents that increase their volume and lift the tape. Injections are made into the underlying sand layer, after which the cushion is compacted and expanded as much as possible, raising the tape.
The first method is considered simpler and more reliable, while the second option is complex and requires accurate calculations, the participation of special equipment and a team of professionals.
In any case, the decision must be made only after consultation with representatives of construction companies.
DIY foundation repair
Steps to restore the integrity of the foundation depend on the type and extent of damage. You can see photos of foundation repairs to better understand the process.
Cracks
First, you need to determine the cause of the crack and, based on this, a method to strengthen the foundation.
When destruction does not appear in a separate area, but affects the entire perimeter of the building and is associated with high soil moisture, you need to do the following:
- Dig a trench around the perimeter of the house;
- Remove dirt and old plaster from the foundation;
- Place a metal mesh in the trench and fill it with cement, compacting it well.
Foundation subsidence
First you need to find out how the destruction progresses. If active, how can the foundation be repaired? The procedure will be as follows:
First you need to install the jack. To do this, a strip of foundation up to a meter wide is removed with a hammer drill. A jack is installed in the resulting recess. It is safer to use several jacks and lift the building no more than 1-3 cm at a time, otherwise the building may be destroyed.
It is necessary to make supports. Reinforcing bars with a diameter of 2 cm are better suited for this. It is important that the supports are at least 0.25 m wide. They are installed on special substrates.
Installation of formwork. Concreting.
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Repair methods
Restoration of the tape can be carried out under various technological conditions. The choice of the most suitable option depends on the nature of the damage, the size and dynamic state of the crack .
The main requirement for the measures taken is efficiency and high quality results. All work should be carried out as carefully as possible, carefully monitoring compliance with the technology, not allowing any deviations and not skipping any stages of work.
Repairing the tape is a labor-intensive, responsible and complex task, which should be solved under the guidance of an experienced specialist, or you can entrust the repair to a team of professional builders.
Repairing the foundation of a wooden house with your own hands
If the old foundation can no longer perform its basic functions or it is necessary to extend the service life of the building, it is replaced.
What you will need to replace the foundation yourself:
- Hydraulic jacks;
- Steel wedges and crowbar;
- Jackhammers or sledgehammers;
- Logs or bricks for support;
- Support for the jack.
How to build up
The extension has two directions - width or height. To repair the tape, an increase in width is usually used, which fills cracks and strengthens the base.
The work is carried out in stages:
- The problem area of the tape is cleared from the soil.
- The surface is thoroughly cleaned of the waterproofing layer, dried, and notches are applied.
- In the outer area, holes are drilled into which reinforcing bars are inserted. A reinforcement cage is welded to them for an additional layer of concrete.
- Formwork is installed and concrete is poured.
- After hardening, the surface is carefully waterproofed and finishing work is carried out.
Photo of foundation repair
Strengthening the structure
When the basement in a brick house is destroyed, it is necessary to stop the settlement of the building as urgently as possible. Initially, for this purpose, beacons are installed on the cracks of the structure (a beacon is a plaster “construction plaster”). The date must be indicated on each label.
In the event that the “plaster” breaks, it will be necessary to dig a hole at an angle of 350 in the immediate vicinity of the strip base. This technology involves the installation of metal and asbestos pipes (d = 15-20 cm). After that, everything is poured with concrete.
The process is continued until the concrete solution stops decreasing within one or several hours. The next filling is performed after 24 hours. This continues three or four times.
Then the cracks are again secured with beacons, but made of wood. They are placed at the beginning and at the very edge. They fix the position of the pillar after pouring. If settlement continues to occur, then there is a possibility that the building will sink much lower into the ground. Then you need to fill everything with the solution again. Fixation is possible only in this way.
