Brick & Block Foundation Wall Repair in New Jersey

CMU Wall Crack Repair in Central & Northern NJ & the Jersey Shore

Brick and block foundations are common across New Jersey and are often neglected as they endure years of settlement, soil movement, and water infiltration. Whether made from brick or concrete, your foundation directly impacts your home's structural integrity, value, and safety.

If you see cracking, water leaks, deteriorating mortar, or any other issues on your foundation wall, contact Blue Umbrella Waterproofing. With over twenty years of brick and block New Jersey foundation repair experience, we specialize in repairing diverse foundation issues using cutting-edge tools and materials, such as carbon fiber straps engineered to stabilize aggressive wall movement and high-strength stitches that effectively prevent even the most expansive cracks from worsening.

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Common Problems Found In Foundation Brick & Block Walls

Brick and block foundation walls are susceptible to issues that affect poured concrete walls and additional problems unique to walls with mortar joints and hollow concrete masonry units.

Vertical Cracks

Vertical foundation wall cracks can indicate typical concrete aging or shrinkage and don't usually pose an immediate issue to your home's structure. However, multiple vertical cracks or cracks that continue across a ceiling or floor are dangerous and likely have stains from leaking water.

Horizontal Cracks

Horizontal cracks typically run between the mortar joints that bond brick and concrete masonry units together. Usually, horizontal cracks appear alongside bowing, shearing, or tipping as outside pressure pushes against the wall in a back-and-forth movement.

Stair-Step Cracks

Stair-step cracks immediately threaten your New Jersey home's structure, especially if you have a brick or block foundation. These cracks typically run from the bottom corners to the middle of your basement walls and can allow sections of brick or CMU to separate, crack further, and potentially collapse.

Bowed Basement Wall Repair in New Jersey

Cracked Bowed Basement Wall Repair in New Jersey

Water Stained & Bowing Foundation Wall Repair in New Jersey

Bowing Foundation Walls

External pressure, such as excess groundwater or frozen soil, can push against brick and block foundation walls until the center is bowed or bulging inward. To test if your foundation wall is bowing, run a string or cord down the length of the wall, taping both ends at the top and bottom at least four inches away. Then, measure the middle of the wall's distance to the string. If the string is closer to the wall at the center than the top or bottom, it's bowing.

Shearing Walls

Shearing occurs when external pressure breaks the mortar bond between the lowest and second lowest course of bricks or blocks in your wall. Shearing allows the upper course to push inward while the bottom course remains secured behind the slab, anchored to the footer.
A course is a layer of the same unit running horizontally in a wall.

Leaning Walls

Foundation walls can lean or tip when there's more external pressure outside the top of the basement wall than the bottom. Usually, this occurs when gutters, downspouts, and grading fail to collect and channel water away from the home. Eventually, water can break through the caulking or seal between your foundation and siding and enter your New Jersey basement. Tipping usually affects poured concrete walls, but it can also happen in other types of walls.

Bowing, tipping,and shearing foundation walls in New Jersey

Why Is Your Brick Or Block Wall Cracking?

Cracks on brick or concrete masonry unit (CMU) blocks can be caused by:

Hydrostatic pressure: Excess or pooling ground water can push against your basement walls, leading to cracks, water infiltration, mold growth, and musty smells.
Expansive soil: Clay-rich soil, prone to swelling when it comes in contact with water, can push against and crack the mortar between brick and concrete blocks.
Settlement: Uneven foundation settlement can throw your foundation and home out of alignment, leading to cracked or shifted walls and floors.
Frost heave: Frost heave is a common issue for brick and block foundations in northern climates and occurs when moisture inside of the soil surrounding your home freezes and lifts upward as its volume increases.
Aging: It's common for small, non-threatening cracks to appear on brick and block foundations within the first few years of construction as the concrete cures and settles into the soil. However, these cracks should be under 1/8th-inch.
Poor construction: Unfortunately, mistakes and poor choices during construction can lead to cracking, bowing, or other foundation issues. For example, homes can settle more than usual if the soil below isn't properly compacted before construction.

Hydrostatic Pressure causing Basement Water

Do You Need To Fix Cracks In Brick & Block Walls?

If you spot cracks in your brick or block foundation walls in your New Jersey basement, act now! Foundation damage rarely appears as an isolated issue, and the longer it persists, the more expensive its repairs will be.
Cracks can be accompanied by:

Doors and windows that don't close completely
Uneven, bowed, or sunken flooring
Separating walls and moldings
Peeling wallpaper
Separating chimney, patio, or deck

Wall Crack Repair Methods That Don't Work

It's common to find dozens of how-to guides and DIY articles encouraging New Jersey homeowners to use store-bought "quick fixes" to repair their cracked or damaged foundations. Throughout Blue Umbrella's experience, we've inspected and repaired foundation walls with previous repair attempts, some of which worsened the original issue.

For example, some New Jersey homeowners might apply latex paint or spray foam sealer inside wall cracks to prevent leaks, inadvertently allowing water to build up behind the paint or foam and soak the rest of the concrete or brick, leading to more cracks, leaks, mold growth, and honeycombing.

How To Properly Fix Cracked Brick And Block Walls

Here's how Blue Umbrella Waterproofing repairs cracked brick and block foundation walls in Central and Northern New Jersey, as well as the Jersey Shore.

InvisiBeam Carbon-Kevlar Fiber Straps

Before filling or sealing any foundation cracks, our New Jersey basement repair experts inspect the wall and determine if the crack is caused by wall movement. If the crack stems from less than two inches of wall movement, we'll install InvisiBeam, a high-strength brace system designed to prevent further wall movement and stop cracks from reopening.

InvisiBeam wall straps, made from a patented combination of carbon fiber and Kevlar, are secured against your brick or block walls using structural epoxy, adhesive rivets, and anchors attached to the wood framing above the wall and the footer at the bottom. Once positioned, each strap absorbs and evenly distributes the external pressure, compromising the wall without excavation.

Crack Stitch

Crack Stitch, created by Fortress Stabilization Solutions (the same company behind Invisibeam), is designed to prevent wall and floor cracks from widening or reopening. Similar to surgical staples, these carbon-fiber stitches bond with the surrounding concrete and reconnect the two sides of the crack. We start by cutting 10-inch long slots, less than 1 inch deep, into the concrete perpendicular to the crack.

After cleaning out the dust and debris, we inject a structural epoxy into the crack. Then, we insert the stitches into the slots and smooth the surface with a putty knife. Once the epoxy cures, the crack can be concealed with paint, drywall, or other finishes.

Note: We do not install Crack Stitch on cracked brick foundations due to the bonding difference between concrete and clay.

Basement Waterproofing

Brick and block foundation cracks can lead to water infiltration, and cracks can be caused by poorly built or nonexistent drainage systems, a vicious cycle. If your New Jersey basement isn't equipped with an interior French drain system, sump pump, or vapor barrier, ask us about our complete waterproofing system installation.

Our New Jersey foundation waterproofing experts can install an interior French drain system to redirect rising and excess groundwater, a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from seeping through porous walls onto the basement floor, and a sump pump to eject gathered groundwater away from your home.

Is waterproofing your New Jersey basement worth it?

Who To Call For Foundation Block Wall Crack Repair

If you need brick or block foundation repair in New Jersey, contact Blue Umbrella Waterproofing. We have over twenty years of experience repairing and waterproofing foundations affected by diverse issues, including cracks, water infiltration, bowing, and more.

Additionally, we offer free estimates and inspections to all New Jersey homeowners, so you don't need to pay anything before hearing an expert opinion. Call, follow us on social media, or fill out a free inspection form to learn more about our services.