Ramjacking Basement Floor
6 types of basement floor cracks and what they mean.
Ramjacking basement floor. Check each stud for curves called the crown and mark each curve with an x. In simple terms sheets of concrete were poured at grade and this became the level for the house s flooring. Noticeable height differences can be seen and cracks began to grow in size. Cracks in the basement floors.
The sub base wasn t properly compacted and the concrete settled in one area causing the basement floor to sink and crack. Once a source of moisture exists mold follow. Spalling or patches of surface flaking indicates that the concrete mix was too wet when poured. While under construction the basement floor isn t heated in the winter and the dirt under the concrete freezes causing it to expand.
But as concrete became a predominant building material concrete slabs became the vogue. Risks of cracks in your basement floor water seepage. Depending on the pattern of settlement a basement floor can settle significantly without any trip hazards forming at the cracks. Spalling of the basement floor is unsightly but still acceptable.
The truth is all concrete crack. Left unchecked over time the cracks grow and the concrete begins to fluctuate. Make sure that all the curves are facing the same direction this will prevent the wall itself from having a curve in it. The sub base heaves and lifts the basement floor causing it to crack.
Any cracks in your basement floor open you to the possibility of water seepage. When a basement floor crack is combined with heaving this is a cause for concern. As a result the water worked. Finishing your unfinished basement is by far the least expensive way to add liveable square footage to your home.
When there are cracks in your home s foundation it lets pressure force the water up into your basement. Moisture and height enemies of basement subfloors. Even if you do not expect catastrophic events such as flooring moisture can and probably will invade your basement since basements are nothing more than holes in the ground lined with concrete and moisture is pervasive in the ground water vapor will gradually work its way upward through concrete basement flooring and will condense. Cracks with heaving are signs of a bigger problem that needs to be addressed.
Framing the walls ceilings and the miscelaneous nooks is the first step in a basement finish project unless you need to add a plumbing drain or sump pump in the floor or are cutting the concrete walls to add windows or a doorway. Foundation repair contractors don t do it twice. Heaving is especially common in areas with clay soil. At ram jack we have over 40 years of foundation repair expertise simply put we know how to get the job done right the first time our foundation specialists work to restore structural stability for homeowners across the country.
Traditionally houses were built over a crawlspace or basement the flooring was raised over the ground level.