Very often, when building a fundamental foundation, novice builders make a lot of mistakes. Some perform work without taking into account the time it takes for concrete to gain brand strength. Others use poor quality mixtures for construction, as they are much cheaper. As a result, such savings can cost a pretty penny, since cracks will appear in the base of the house, which can lead to the complete destruction of the entire building. As a result, a novice builder will spend a lot of time and money on restoring the house. Therefore, it is worth considering the recommendations of professionals on this issue.
Causes of cracks
Heaving soils and high groundwater levels can adversely affect the foundation of a building. That is why it is strictly forbidden to build a strip foundation on such land. For this type of soil, only monolithic bases are suitable. However, many do not take this into account and end up making a huge mistake.
Lack of blind area can also cause similar problems. The fact is that the concrete paths around the house are not made for aesthetic purposes, but in order to protect the fundamental foundation from waterlogging. WithThe roof is constantly dripping with water that collects at the base of the house. Therefore, the blind area acts as a reliable waterproofing. However, it is worth erecting it only a year after the foundation is poured, when it sinks a little in the soil and takes the most stable position.
In addition, many novice builders make mistakes in the process of designing the foundation. Calculations need to be made only armed with all the data on the state of the soil and the characteristics of the suburban area.
Unscrupulous construction companies try to get the job done as quickly as possible. You need to understand that if, after erecting the foundation, you do not give it 1 year to shrink, but instead immediately start building walls, this will lead to very rapid destruction of the entire building.
What is the danger of cracking
If you close your eyes to the problem, it will not be solved. On the contrary, the situation will worsen every year. If you do not repair cracks in the foundation of a house in Astrokhan, Moscow, St. Petersburg or any other city in a timely manner, then the doors and windows will warp, because of which the products will simply begin to burst. Brick buildings are destroyed even faster by this.
Methods for repairing cracks in the foundation differ depending on the complexity of the damage. Therefore, before starting work, you need to clarify the type of gap. To do this, the crack is cleaned of dirt and washed with water. After that, you need to install a beacon in it and remember the date of its creation. If within a few weeks he does not change his position andremains intact, this will indicate that ordinary mortar can be used to seal the gap. In the case when the lighthouse bursts, it is necessary to resort to more serious reconstruction measures. To do this, you will need to strengthen the foundation with piles.
Diagnosis
Before you start repairing foundation cracks with your own hands, you need to determine the cause of excessive pressure on the foundation. This can be determined according to the external parameters of the cracks. If they:
- vertical and diverge more towards the top, then most likely the reason lies in the fact that the ground swelled during the thawing of snow after a period of winter frosts;
- inclined, directed from the central zone to the corner, then the backfill of one of the adjacent walls may have sagged;
- vertical, diverging downwards, then, most likely, the whole point is the subsidence of the soil under the central part of the house, or uneven freezing of the walls occurred.
If there are several cracks at once and at the same time they form an arch, then this also indicates a subsidence of the central part of the fundamental base.
Having identified the area that has suffered the most, repair cracks in the foundation as soon as possible.
What action should be taken immediately?
First of all, it is worth making a professional assessment of the soil, since it is the features of the soil cover that cause cracking. It is also recommended to try on your ownfix the cracks so that they do not begin to diverge even more. To do this, you can perform a temporary repair of foundation cracks using metal corners. However, after that, more serious restoration measures will need to be taken.
Filling cracks with mortar
To do this, you can prepare a special mixture for sealing seams. To prepare it, you need to mix 1 part of high-grade quick-drying Portland cement, 3 parts of sifted river sand and pour the mixture with 2/3 parts of water. The composition must be thoroughly mixed to a paste-like consistency. It is necessary to apply the mixture immediately after its preparation. The fact is that, depending on the hardener, the mortar can set within 10-30 minutes.
To properly repair cracks in the foundation of a house in Astrokhan, Moscow or any other city, you must first rinse the cracks with water, remove dust from them and walk along the edges with a chisel. Only then can the solution be applied.
It is recommended to use a special trowel for this. After processing, the mixture should protrude slightly above the crack. As soon as it begins to set, the mortar must be leveled and carefully smoothed out, completely leveling the levels of the surfaces.
At the final stage of repairing cracks in the foundation, it is necessary to cover the treated surface with a damp cloth and wet it until the mortar is completely hardened.
Epoxy resin application
As a rule, this method is used when it comes tosmall cracks with a depth of not more than 3-5 mm. Also, a similar method is optimal for repairing cracks in a monolithic foundation.
Before starting work, carefully clean and dry the cracks. It is best to use a building hair dryer for this. The surface must be absolutely dry. In addition, be sure to get rid of the concrete chips. High pressure air is recommended for this.
At the next stage, special nozzles are applied to the cracks, which are installed at a distance of 30 cm from each other.
Epoxy resin is mixed with the hardener with a spatula. After that, the composition is applied to the lower surfaces of the prepared nozzles. Next, the elements are applied to the cracks.
At the next stage, another portion of resin is prepared, which covers the entire surface of the gap. In this form, the patched area must be left overnight, after which the procedure is repeated. The curing time of the resin is 5 days.
It is worth considering that the repair of cracks in the foundation must be done in such a way as to avoid recurrence of problems in the future.
Features of strengthening stone buildings
To slow down the settlement of weakened soil under the strip foundation, it is necessary to build a special belt-lining. For its installation you will need:
- Dig a trench around the perimeter of the strip foundation at an angle of 35 degrees. Its depth should be approximately 40-50 cm, but not less.
- Clean the plinth and the foundation itself from dust anddirt.
- Tap the surface and remove all crumbling and weak concrete fragments.
- Treat the fundamental base with a primer. It is recommended to give preference to deep penetration formulations.
- Drill 3-4 rows of horizontal holes 60-120 cm apart.
- Drive anchors into them and scald these elements with reinforcement, the diameter of which will be approximately 10-14 mm.
If the cracks are very deep, it is recommended to prepare local formwork for them and fill the recesses with concrete.
After that, formwork panels are installed around the foundation. You can make them yourself from boards or rent ready-made structures. You also need to make reinforcement, after which you can fill the trench with high quality concrete.
Features of repairing cracks in the foundation of a wooden house
This kind of damage is much easier to repair. The fact is that the log house quite simply rises to temporary supports for repair work. However, if we are talking about an old wooden house, then such manipulations can lead to sad consequences. The lower rotten crowns of the base can simply fall apart. Therefore, before starting work, it is recommended to assess the condition of the log house and, if necessary, cut the affected wood.
Depending on the features of the building, it may be necessary to dismantle the roof. Definitely will have to do this if the chimney goes into the roof.
However, the means describedrepair of cracks in the foundation may be ineffective if the thickness of the loose layer of the earth is too large. In that case, the only way to increase resistance is through more serious measures.
Reinforcement with pile structures
This technology is not without its difficulties, so it is used only in the most difficult cases.
Piles are of two types:
- Screw. Such elements are installed around the perimeter of the foundation. After that, the building is raised to the required level and their own are tied with a grillage. The result is a new foundation on which the house is lowered. This method is only suitable for wooden buildings.
- "Bulls". Such piles can be driven in or twisted at an angle at opposite corners of the foundation. After that, I-beams or channel beams must be welded onto their heads, which will take on the loads of the ground parts of the buildings.
Features of repairing monolithic slabs
This type of foundation is considered the most reliable, so it collapses very rarely. However, if this happened, then such a foundation is practically impossible to repair. In this case, you will have to make a partial or complete replacement of the plate.
If the cracks are not through
Such damage is most often caused by weathering. To repair cracks of this type, it is enough to shotcrete or plaster the surface. After that, it is desirable to cover the foundation with a waterproofing compound.
Shotcrete is a fairly simple procedure, which consists in the fact that the base is sprayed with a special solution of cement laitance and quartz sand. Composition is applied under pressure.
