HOW TO inspect your BASEMENT Walls
Basement walls crack. It is just a fact of life. Vertical cracks aren't as much of an issue. (Although you still might want them looked at by a professional) Horizontal cracks are different though. These cracks indicate excessive pressure from the outside.
HOW do you know if you need extra support? How do you know if you need professional advice?
Watch as I establish a plumb line and measure the compromise to see what is needed.
Thanks SO MUCH for watching.
Transcript:
How to Inspect Your Basement Walls
Hello, everyone. We hope you're doing well today. This is Dennis from Home Rehab Pros. We're currently in a basement where there's a horizontal deflection in the wall. In other words, the wall is tilting. We're going to measure this deflection. A structural engineer has already assessed the situation. However, I'd like to show you our findings so we can determine the necessary steps to reinforce the wall and make it stronger. I'll be handling this task myself. So, let's examine the situation.
If you have a basement with horizontal cracks and you're wondering whether structural support is needed for the wall, stay tuned and let's observe together.
Now, let's take a closer look at this wall. As you can see, there's a clear compromise here. A crack runs across the entire width, and there's also a vertical crack. Vertical cracks are less concerning, both to me and the structural engineer. However, the crack along the top is what prompted us to assess the wall's structural integrity.
Upon closer examination, using my level, you can see that it's perfectly aligned with the wall. The bubble in the level is centered, indicating that the wall is vertical. Now, let's measure the extent of the deflection.
The deflection measures approximately an inch and three sixteenths, which I would round to an inch and a quarter to account for the sixteenth measurement. Now, let's check another area along the wall to see if this deflection is consistent.
We've placed the level in another spot, right beneath the I-beam, and as you can see, it's plumb once again. But take a look at the gap. It's quite substantial. Let's use a tape measure to get a precise measurement.
Again, it's about an inch and a quarter. So, what does this mean for the structural integrity of the basement wall? The other walls in the basement are within tolerance. What's tolerance, you ask? Most structural engineers consider a 7/16-inch deflection to be within tolerance.
Now, let's put this into perspective. For most people, working in sixteenths can be a bit tricky. For me, eight sixteenths equal half an inch. Therefore, if your measurement using a level shows a deflection of half an inch or less, you generally don't need to worry. However, when the deflection exceeds half an inch, it's time to stabilize the wall.
Do you need to completely remove the block wall? Not at all. What we'll do is install structural steel posts against this wall. These posts will be 5 inches by 2 inches in size, and the steel itself will be 3/16 of an inch thick—quite sturdy. We'll secure them to the floor joists at the ceiling and to the concrete floor. Once leveled and plumbed, these posts will provide the necessary support to prevent any further movement of the wall.
So, to recap, the house is still sound. The wall won't collapse once the steel posts are in place. That's our plan. I'll take measurements and order the appropriate steel posts.
Thank you for joining us today. We hope this provides insight into some of the work we do. If you have a basement with horizontal cracks, remember that if the deflection is less than half an inch, you're generally in the clear. Beyond that, it's a good idea to seek professional guidance on stabilization. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below, and if you haven't already, please consider subscribing and giving us a thumbs up. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Until next time, this is Dennis from Home Rehab Pros, signing off. We'll catch you in the next video.