If you have a wet basement or a basement wall leaking water, basement cracks must be addressed. But the problems could potentially run a lot deeper than just mildew and even flooding – these leaks could be a symptom of damage to the foundation of your home.

When the soil beneath a house’s foundation settles, it sometimes causes the foundation itself to shift. If too much movement occurs, the concrete cracks or bows. These foundation cracks can lead to water entering into the structure. If the damage is significant, it can jeopardize the structural integrity of your home and put you and your family at risk.

Your foundation can also be damaged by drought conditions, tree roots, and leaky exterior pipes.

If you have a basement wall leaking water or moisture buildup inside your house, it’s imperative you have an expert assess the damage. Complete the form to right and one of our foundation leak repair experts will determine whether foundation damage in your home is to blame for basement leaks.

Cracked and bowed basement walls are a common home foundation problem that is easily fixed using the CHANCE^® Wall Anchor System. This engineered system anchors the wall deep within the soil. R.A. Murphy Construction, Inc. utilizes the strength of the helical anchor to repair and prevent future wall movement by holding the wall in place as soil swells and builds pressure on the basement wall.

The repair or construction of a basement wall with a CHANCE Wall Anchor System starts by excavating the soil nearest to the wall.  A small hole is drilled in the wall and an anchor rod is passed through and attaches on the other side of the wall to a helical anchor.  A torque motor rotates the helical anchor into the soil until the proper tension capacity is achieved. After the helical anchor is installed, a bearing plate is connected to the anchoring rod and secured to the inside of the wall.  If necessary, the basement wall is pulled back into place using the wall anchor assembly. This process is repeated as required for the repair and then the soil is back filled into the excavated area.

The CHANCE^® Wall Anchor System is building code approved and a proven engineered solution for Wall Repair. Retaining Walls can also be designed or repaired using this system to prevent movement or shifting created by the soil.

Cracks in brick walls around your home’s exterior are unsightly, but they can also be early warning signs of serious structural damage. As your home ages, the soil underneath the foundation can settle and shift, causing the foundation itself to move. When paired with other factors such as poor water drainage or expansive soil, the structural integrity of your home is at risk.

If your home’s exterior has brickwork, you are likely to see a stair step crack in the mortar before any major structural issues occur. However, do not make the mistake of dismissing this warning sign as cosmetic. Foundation damage occurs over time and only gets worse. 

It is important for homeowners to be proactive in addressing cracks in the exterior brick by bringing in R. A. Murphy Construction, Inc. to evaluate their home’s foundation.

Wall cracks can appear on a home’s interior walls as the house settles. This can be caused by compression stress, soil shrinkage, slippage and concrete shrinkage. Changes are usually minor, but the variations are often not obvious. However, house settlement can pose serious structural issues.

Common causes of interior wall cracks:
• Natural drywall shrinkage
• Poor foundation construction
• Temperature changes
• New home settlement
• Expansion and contraction of the clay rich soil

Wall gaps and cracks can be either horizontal or vertical, depending on how the home was constructed. Horizontal cracks tend to be more cosmetic, but vertical cracks are generally early warning signs of a foundation issue which needs immediate attention. These cracks can become worse if left alone.

Stabilizing the foundation is important to ensure that interior wall cracks do not develop. The problem of gaps can be addressed to some extent by using waterproofing products; however, these are seen as more of a temporary fix to a potentially bigger problem. Fixing and reinforcing the foundations help to repair the structural flaws and cracks. Your best option is working with R. A. Murphy Construction, Inc., because we understand your geotechnical needs and will fix your issue below the foundation.

The chimney is one of the heaviest parts of your home and when foundation problems occur, the chimney usually shows the effects of the shift first.

When a chimney settles, it can rotate away from the siding, displaying a gap between the chimney and the siding. This settling can have severe consequences. A domino effect of structural damage begins and the value of your home decreases immediately.

If you see the chimney pulling away from the house, have it fixed immediately.