Mid-State Basement Systems Case Studies: Foundation Repair: Fixing Cracking and Bowing Walls in New Marshfield, Ohio

Challenge

This New Marshfield, Ohio homeowner noticed her walls were cracking and bowing, as well as dampness and water in the basement. She wanted to use the space as a recreation room, so gave MidState Basement Systems a call to see if we could help. Inspector Phil Matthews diagnosed the issue: the foundation walls were forming cracks and had started to bow inwards, likely due to the expanding soil forces that were acting on it from the outside.

Solution

MidState Basement Systems provided an ingenious solution to stabilize this home and keep the basement dry. A series of PowerBraces were installed at multiple locations around the basement wall to reinforce the bowing walls and to support any sagging floor joists. The load-bearing distribution area of the braces was increased by installing additional beams that ran perpendicular to the PowerBraces already in place against the wall. PowerBraces are steel I-beams that are custom-fit to your basement wall with brackets that are secured to your basement floor and floor joists. Powerbraces immediately stabilize the wall to prevent any further movement. The PowerBraces are designed to be tightened over time and can potentially straighten the wall. This solution provided a permanent solution that completely stabilized the basement walls and the unstable floor joists, preventing any further damage to that would have occurred otherwise.

To keep humidity low, they installed a SaniDry™ Sedona Dehumidifier. The SaniDry™ Sedona is the world's most efficient, high-performance dehumidifier and filtration system (without a bulky heat exchange core). The Sedona is small in size, yet powerful enough to lower humidity in even the dampest environment, such as the basement or crawl space.

If you notice cracks in your basement walls, sagging walls, or water in your basement, contact MidState Basement Systems to set up a FREE consultation with a Certified Inspector. They can take a look and let you know what we can do to fix your sagging walls and keep your basement dry!