New Jersey Bowing Basement Wall Repair

Bowing Wall Repair for Central & Northern NJ and the Jersey Shore

Your home sits on the walls of your foundation. But, over time, waterlogged soil, frozen ground, and hydrostatic pressure can cause your basement walls to buckle, bowing inwards. While at first, this may not appear to be a problem, over time, the bowing walls can worsen, creating a dangerous situation that requires professional foundation repair.

This is where Blue Umbrella steps in. We have fixed bowing basement walls in hundreds of New Jersey homes and businesses, installing permanent, proven solutions.

If you see that your basement wall is bowing, don’t wait for it to get worse. Call us today for a free foundation inspection.

Do You Need Bowing Basement Wall Repair?

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Signs of Bowing Basement Walls

If you think that your New Jersey basement walls may be damaged, there are telltale signs to look out for:

Bulges or inward bowing of the walls
Basement walls leaning in from the top
Walls sliding in at the bottom.
Horizontal or stair-step cracks in the walls
Diagonal cracking spreading from the corners of poured concrete walls

You may also see signs bowing basement walls upstairs in your NJ home.

Windows and doors that stick or that are hard to open
Gaps in windows and door frames
Interior plastic walls cracking
Nail pops in ceiling and walls
Leaning upstairs walls
Uneven, sloping floors
Chimney tilting
Cracks in interior drywall
Interior or exterior cracks near doors and windows
Gaps where floors and walls meet

Bowed Basement Wall Repair in New Jersey

Cracked Bowed Basement Wall Repair in New Jersey

Water Stained & Bowing Foundation Wall Repair in New Jersey

Causes of Buckling Basement Walls

There is not one thing that causes basement walls to bow and buckle in your New Jersey home. Instead, several causes of foundation problems.

Rain & Hydrostatic Pressure: As it rains, water seeps into the soil, creating hydrostatic pressure, which is the water pressure in the ground soil pressing against the basement walls.

Expansive Soil: Certain soils, like clay, are especially susceptible to hydrostatic pressure, shrinking during dry spells and swelling when it rains, putting pressure on the walls during rainstorms.

Frozen Soil: As the temperature drops, the soil surrounding your basement can freeze. As the soil freezes, it expands, pressing against your basement walls, causing them to bow inwards.

Lateral Pressure: If there is a heavy weight, like a large vehicle, sitting on the ground near your basement’s foundation, this downward pressure can produce lateral pressure, pushing your basement walls inwards.

Foundation Settlement: Over time, your NJ home’s foundation begins to settle, but if it settles unevenly, it exerts pressure on your basement walls which can lead them to buckle and bow inwards.

Bowing basement wall diagram in New Jersey

NJ Bowing Basement Wall Solutions

Depending on the severity of your bowing basement walls and the extent of the damage in your New Jersey home, we recommend one of the two following foundation repair solutions.

Carbon Fiber Strips (Carbon Fiber Straps)

Carbon fiber is a tough fabric that does not stretch and is stronger than steel, making it ideal for bowing basement wall repair. We install 4-inch wide carbon fiber strips on your basement walls, which are placed flush every 4 feet along your bowing basement wall. The wall is first scarified, with all paint and residue removed, leaving a clean surface. The pre-cured and pre-pregnated carbon fiber strips are placed flat against the basement walls, creating a tight seal, and preventing the carbon strips from shifting. Epoxy is applied to the strips. On an 8-foot basement wall that has 7 feet of exterior backfill, we normally add carbon fiber strips 2 feet from the corner and then 4 feet of space between the carbon fiber strips.

The carbon fiber is fastened to a sill plate with a bracket on the ceiling and secured to the floor using a carbon fiber pin allowing pressure in the wall to be absorbed evenly by the carbon fiber strip. Carbon fiber installation only takes 1-2 days to complete, and the strips can be covered up or painted over.

Carbon fiber strips are most appropriate when the basement walls have not bowed more than two inches inwards. Carbon fiber strip installation is a fast, minimally invasive, and effective solution for bowing basement walls in your New Jersey home.

Carbon Fiber Strap Installation in New Jersey

Steel I-Beams

For New Jersey homes where the basement wall has bowed inward over two inches, the safer option is steel I-beam installation. Like carbon fiber strips, steel I-beams are sized, cut, and installed flush against the basement wall. The steel beams are mounted to a floor plate and a floor joint bracket keeping it firmly in place. The I-beams are installed 2 feet from the corner of the basement and then every 4-5 feet along the bowing basement wall, strengthening the wall and preventing it from weakening. The steel I-beams are mechanically anchored at the top and bottom.

Steel I-Beams are also a great solution for homes without a concrete slab. In this case, a 3-foot deep and 2-feet wide trench, two feet in from the wall in the basement. The steel I-beams are then put in these trenches with the empty space filled with concrete, solidifying your foundation. This does result in a loss of square footage in your basement but creates an incredibly stable basement wall

Installation only takes one to two days to complete. If you are facing more significant damage to your NJ basement walls, Steel I-beams are the safe, reliable foundation repair solution.

Steel I-Beams in Basement Foundation Repair

Common NJ Bowing Basement Wall Repair Questions

Do I need a new basement wall?
In some rare cases, a basement wall in your New Jersey home may be beyond repair, but it is unlikely. Usually, replacing the basement walls is something you will hear from an inexperienced general contractor. You instead need a proper evaluation by a foundation specialist like Blue Umbrella can determine the extent of the basement wall damage and the correct repair method.

My basement wall has been bowing for a long time. Do I really need to fix it?
Yes. Bowing basement walls are never a safe thing to ignore. Over time the bowing will continue to worsen and can put pressure on utility lines causing them to crack and leak. In extreme cases, the basement wall can eventually collapse.

Is replacing soil with backfilled stone a good solution?
You may have a general contractor recommend removing the soil surrounding the basement wall and backfilling it with stone to reduce the external pressure on the basement walls. But this will not work. The soil surrounding the stone will press on the stone, which will in turn press on the basement walls leading to the same wall bowing as before. You need permanent foundation repair.

Do you work with block and stone foundations?
Yes. We can fix bowing foundation walls in poured concrete, block wall, and stone wall foundations.

Is Blue Umbrella’s bowing basement wall repair permanent?
Yes. Blue Umbrella uses long-lasting, permanent, warrantied foundation repair solutions in your home. You can sleep safely knowing that your home is protected.

Can I repair my foundation myself?
While you can find DIY foundation solutions online, foundation repair is one home repair we do not recommend. It can be dangerous, and improper repair offers ineffective solutions or even worsened outcomes.

Schedule Your New Jersey Free Bowing Basement Wall Inspection

If you are dealing with bowing basement walls in your New Jersey home, we can fix the problem with warrantied, permanent foundation solutions. Blue Umbrella has years of experience and has helped hundreds of homeowners just like you. Get started by giving a call today to schedule your free basement wall inspection and free foundation repair estimate. We are your trusted New Jersey bowing basement wall foundation repair expert. If you are also experiencing water in the basement, we provide professional basement waterproofing services.

To request a free estimate, call Blue Umbrella Waterproofing at 908.432.8858 or contact us online today.