Foundation inspection and repairs Kingston ONIf you’re lucky enough to be a resident or business owner in Kingston, Ontario, you’re lucky enough to be surrounded by lovely buildings and their architecture, the rich history of the city and the abundant arts, food and culture scene that’s making Kingston a popular travel destination and place to live.
Because Kingston has a long-standing history in Ontario and Canada, many of the buildings and homes have been around for a while too. We get a lot of service requests for restorations and repairs, one of them being foundation cracks. Now, in terms of foundation cracks, it’s important to distinguish the different types and subsequent solutions to each class of concrete damage. Why do foundation cracks happen in the first place? Well, over time, due to shifting of the earth, the expansion and contraction of the concrete and other external factors from Mother Nature, the concrete is bound to have some cracks. It’s rare to see a building over 10 years old not have a single crack in the foundation. Even newly built homes are prone to have small cracks appear within the first year. The cracks we commonly see that don’t affect the structural integrity of the foundation are typically smaller and most importantly, run vertically or somewhat diagonally but still vertical. These ones are a common occurrence in concrete and although they don’t affect structural integrity, they will still need to be sealed with an epoxy sealer to reinforce the foundation’s waterproofing property. The method is to inject the urethane or epoxy sealer into small holes drilled into the crack. |
Horizontal cracks, however, are another story. These ones represent a compromise to the surrounding structure, and need to be addressed immediately. They occur when there is bowing of the foundation which can cause extensively damaging leaks into the basement, resulting in mould, as well as hard-to-repair wall and floor damage. In this case, a structural engineer would need to be consulted to start the process of underpinning, which involves installing under footings below existing footings to increase the depth of the existing foundation in order to reinforce it.
At Masonry Kingston, our masonry contractors are experienced and thorough when it comes to inspecting a foundation for damage. We use visual inspection as well as other tools to survey the damage and come up with a long-term solution to repair the damage. Many of our services are preventative in nature as well, as this will help minimize the potential water damage caused by a leaky foundation. One of our favourite methods is parging, which involves smoothing a cement on the lower section of a masonry wall. This allows us to apply additional waterproofing finishes and sealers, as well as create an attractive water resistant barrier that can hold up to the sometimes harsh elements experienced in Kingston and most of Ontario.
If you’re in need of reliable foundation repair and preventative services in Kingston, Ontario, please give us a call at Masonry Kingston to provide quality masonry services, done according to the highest standards.
At Masonry Kingston, our masonry contractors are experienced and thorough when it comes to inspecting a foundation for damage. We use visual inspection as well as other tools to survey the damage and come up with a long-term solution to repair the damage. Many of our services are preventative in nature as well, as this will help minimize the potential water damage caused by a leaky foundation. One of our favourite methods is parging, which involves smoothing a cement on the lower section of a masonry wall. This allows us to apply additional waterproofing finishes and sealers, as well as create an attractive water resistant barrier that can hold up to the sometimes harsh elements experienced in Kingston and most of Ontario.
If you’re in need of reliable foundation repair and preventative services in Kingston, Ontario, please give us a call at Masonry Kingston to provide quality masonry services, done according to the highest standards.