Services

Basement Leak Repairs

When looking for a basement leak repair contractor, make sure you ask plenty of questions. What is the contractor experience, how many homes have they serviced, how long have they been in business, do they guarantee their work, etc.

At Armadillo Contracting, we take pride in our services. We have been called numerous times to repair cracks that were previously repaired by someone else. With over 20 years of experience and a written transferable warranty of 20 years, Armadillo Contracting is your basement leak repair contractor of choice.

Leaky foundation repairs should be done by a professional, an experienced contractor costs much much less in the long term.

Please feel free to contact us. We will fix your leak permanently!

Foundation and Basement Waterproofing

Basement waterproofing is a substantial undertaking. In order to apply a coat of waterproofing, it is necessary to dig to the footings next to the basement wall. The waterproofing product must be applied directly to the concrete wall.

If the foundation is poured concrete, another option for basement waterproofing is crack injection repair. The crack injection process involves injecting, at low pressure, either an epoxy or polyurethane material into the basement crack. Whether epoxy or polyurethane is used will depend on the nature of the crack, the wall thickness as well as other factors. Once the injected material is cured the crack is sealed. This is a great basement waterproofing solution.

At Armadillo Contracting, we take pride in our services. We have been called many times to correct repairs previously completed by someone else. With over 20 years of experience and a written transferable warranty of 20 years, Armadillo Contracting is your basement waterproofing contractor of choice.

Crack Injection

In some opinions, this is the best, most cost effective permanent solution for foundation cracks.

Cracks in a home's foundation is a fact of life, especially in houses with a poured concrete foundation. These are usually small hairline cracks that are caused by the concrete shrinking during drying or thermal movement. These cracks are not initially a cause for concern but over time they can begin to widen and that is when the problems can start allowing a pathway for water to enter the home.

There are many solutions for repairing foundation cracks that can involve costly and messy excavation around the property. But there is another method that can permanently repair these cracks that does not involve digging. This method is known as low pressure crack injection. This technique is considered reliable, cost effective and in most cases permanent.

Crack Injection process involves injecting, at low pressure, either an epoxy or polyurethane material into the basement crack. Whether epoxy or polyurethane is used will depend on the nature of the crack, the wall thickness as well as other factors. Once the injected material is cured the crack is sealed.

Foundation crack injection has been around for a number of years, if the right technique is used, it is 10 times better than outside waterproofing. Outside waterproofing is only a surface repair of the crack.

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Foundation Repair

residential repairs

Finishing your basement is a big decision and costs a significant amount of money. To find out that you have a leak in the foundation can be a costly discovery. There are a number of ways that moisture can enter into your basement from the outside but can be fixed with the proper foundation repair technique. These can include:

Each of these issues have specific repair processes and procedures. Knowledge is power and ultimately cost savings. read more about each one here.

While small cracks in poured concrete foundations are common, and usually not a problem in the beginning, even the smallest crack can begin to widen through the freeze-thaw process over time.

This allows a path for water to enter into the home.

These types of cracks can usually be fixed by using a foundation repair procedure called crack injection. This method fills the cracks with either an epoxy or polyurethane material that provides a permanent seal.

Repairing leaks in concrete block foundations can be more involved since the causes for the cracks can be from different sources. For example a blocked weeping tile could be creating hydrostatic pressure that forces the water through the joints or block. If the problem is just aging of the components, a waterproofing solution is required.

If you are experiencing a wet or leaky basement or would like more information please feel free to contact us. We will fix your leak permanently!

expert foundation repair contractor

Cracks in a home's foundation is a fact of life

especially in houses with a poured concrete foundation. These are usually small hairline cracks that are caused by the concrete shrinking during drying or thermal movement. These cracks are not initially a cause for concern but over time they can begin to widen and that is when the problems can start allowing a pathway for water to enter the home.

There are many solutions for expert foundation crack repairs that can involve costly and messy excavation around the property. But there is another method that can permanently repair these cracks that does not involve digging. This method is known as low pressure crack injection. This technique is considered reliable, cost effective and in most cases permanent.

The crack injection process involves injecting, at low pressure, either an epoxy or polyurethane material into the basement crack. Whether epoxy or polyurethane is used will depend on the nature of the crack, the wall thickness as well as other factors. Once the injected material is cured the crack is permanently sealed.

Different Sources of Moist or Wet Basements

Condensation

Condensation typically occurs in the summer months. The wall where the sun shines the most or if you have a concrete patio, are the most common areas for condensation. The moisture on the soil will go through th the concrete foundation (concrete is porous) and it gets trapped on the insulation behind the vapour barrier travelling to the bottom and dripping on the flood. Allowing air behind the plastic helps, either cutting with a sharp knife only, or lifting the struts on the bottom to allow air will normally assist. Condensation is the most common, minor, issue. It occurs when warm air meets cool foundation walls or un-insulated water pipes. The best way to prevent condensation is to install a dehumidifier in your basement which will dry out the moisture from the air. Insulating your cold water pipes will also prevent condensation from occurring. Damp-proofing your concrete walls with a waterproof coating is a good preventative maintenance measure to prevent condensation.

Runoff or Improper Grading

Runoff occurs when rainwater or melted snow is not routed away from the house. This water can seep through cracks in the foundation walls or the footings. To avoid runoff issues, make sure that the ground around your house slopes away from the foundations. Use eve trough downspout extensions to drain the water away from the home.

rod holes

Rod holes are holes left when the pins, held in the forms to pour the concrete are removed. Some basements have the upper 4 feet insulted, some all the way in part of the basement, basically any exposed wall to outside (4 feet bellow grading). Some times no crack is visible but you see water coming in, most likely a rod hole is leaking.

In the summer, when humidity levels are high, condensation might occur behind the poly (especially if you don't have a air conditioning). The insulation gets "dark", is getting wet.By pressing the poly against the concrete, you might see small amount of water dripping on bottom of plastic, then is not a leak, it is just condensation. The same happens in your cold water pipes running in the basement, if humidity level is high, it will condensate on your pipes and drip. For this two situations a dehumidifier is recommended.

service holes

Most of cases your hydro line comes into the house above grading, but in any event if your service lines are lower or same level than grading, it is another place where is common to see water coming in. If water comes in near your electrical panel, you must solve this problem immediately.

honey comb concrete

During pouring of the concrete into the foundation forms, if the concrete paste wasn't shake enough some times are areas with more stones than concrete and it will create what is known as "honey comb concrete". If this area is bellow grading some times allows water in, again, it can be easily solve by injecting polyurethane in the area , which will fill any cavities and penetrate to the other side of the wall.

basement windows

If the distance between your soil and the bottom of the frame of the window is less than 6 inches , a window well with a vertical wiping tile with cloth cover connected to the weeping tile that runs around the house. Then 2 feet of ¾ crash stone should be inside the well.

side doors

Same rules applied , if the bottom of the door is below grading or same level, water might come in . This door is installed after the foundation is poured or simply the concrete is cut to accommodate one, mining a joint between the concrete and the bottom of frame is created and water comes in. Polyurethane can be injected in than joint and your problem is solved. By code, the exterior door landing will require a drain installed that moves water to the drain tile at the foundation footing.

"I" beam pocket

It is where the "I" beam seats in your foundation, sometimes a concrete support as part of the foundation is built, some times the upper foundation wall is chipped with with a hummer chisel to accommodate the "I" beam.Now the area where the foundation was chipped is no as thick as the rest, some times only 2 or 3 inches are left, some times crack , if the grading is high enough in the area, will create a leak.

concrete block foundations

Block or stone foundations are a complete different ball game. Injection in a block foundation is not recommended. First you have to find the source of the problem, some times a plugged weeping tile creates a water table and the hydrostatic pressure builds up and forces the water through the joints or block.

My first recommendation is to send the camera in to determine the problem, a broken weeping tile, older houses have clay ones, a plugged one (roots, mud, etc). If the wiping tile is just plugged, it can be clean with a snake or appropriate pressure water hose (a entry point has to be find first).

Then if the problem is just aging of the components, a waterproofing is required. The entire perimeter of the house has to be dug out, cleaning of the exterior walls, repair any visible cracks, apply rubberized tar (Aquablock). This membrane is flexible and covered with high density polyethylene film. On top and covering the entire surface of the foundation another membrane is installed (made of tough, durable high density polyethylene) mechanically fastened to the foundation.The dimpled construction of this membrane will keep wet soil ¼ inch away from the foundation. We replace the weeping tiles with a new big-o, with a sock, covered with drainage gravel, backfilled with existing soil, tampered every 2 feet.