Did you know those cracks in your basement wall can be letting in more than just water? Many Michigan homeowners don’t realize that these cracks also create open pathways for three other problems that can affect the health, comfort, and long-term value of your home: pests, mold, and radon.
At StayDry®, we offer professional polyurethane crack injection that can stop all of these issues from entering your home. When done correctly, it completely closes off any pathways, from the exterior of the foundation wall to the interior. Here’s how the process works.
A lot of us have lived in homes with unfinished basements or concrete walls and are used to seeing small cracks in the walls. To be fair, small hairline cracks usually result from foundation shifting and aren’t usually a problem (unless they start to leak or steadily widen). But as a homeowner, you should monitor each crack carefully to make sure it isn’t worsening.
If you have a horizontal or stair-step crack, or any that are leaking water, it often means it’s running the full depth of the foundation wall, where water/moisture vapor, soil gases (like radon), and pests can enter through that channel. Living in Michigan means contending with clay-rich soil that loves to retain water, constant freeze-thaw cycles that contract and expand the soil (pushing on foundation walls), and high seasonal water tables – all of these factors increase the risk of foundation cracks forming. The best approach is early intervention.
If you’re unfamiliar with radon, it’s a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from soil. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and it enters homes primarily through foundation openings, like gaps around pipes, joints where the wall meets the floor, and (you guessed it) cracks.
Polyurethane crack injection is one of the most effective ways to fully close foundation cracks. At StayDry®, we inject it under high pressure, from the bottom of the crack to the top. It expands to fill the entire crack through the entire depth of the foundation, not just the surface. Any repair or DIY kit that only addresses the surface will fail when the foundation naturally shifts during the seasons. Our methods are long-term and come with a lifelong, transferable warranty.
One very important thing to note: sealing cracks is helpful and necessary, but it’s not a complete radon mitigation system on its own. You can’t smell, see, or taste radon, so homes with elevated radon levels won’t have any obvious indicators and will need proper testing.
Mold is another dangerous element that can be caused by cracks in your basement, specifically when moisture and organic material are entering your home. It only takes a little bit of moisture or high humidity to raise the moisture level to allow mold to grow on drywall, cardboard boxes, wood framing, or carpet – and in just 24-48 hours. If you don’t have visible leaking cracks on your wall, be mindful of moldy/mildewy smells when you go into your basement – it’s a telltale sign.
Completely sealing the crack stops moisture from entering and removes the environment mold/mildew needs to grow. If you have an older home or poor ventilation, a basement dehumidifier can improve the moisture control in your home.
Water in your basement isn’t great, but pests are a very close second. These opportunistic creatures will follow moisture and temperature gradients and make your home theirs, where they find protection from the weather, warmer temperatures, and a new food source.
The most common pests that use these cracks include centipedes, spiders, silverfish, ants, and, more rarely, rodents. Our flexible polyurethane seal fills the irregular voids throughout the foundation that surface patches often miss.
As we’ve noted in the blog, DIY injection kits only address the surface of the crack, and solutions like hydraulic cement rarely fill the full depth of the crack. You won’t see the water anymore, but the pathway still exists underneath and can still allow radon, pests, and vapor to pass through.
Professional, high-pressure polyurethane injection is designed to expand more than twice its size to cover the entire thickness of the wall and fill all the voids. The material stays flexible enough to handle Michigan’s seasonal foundation movement, so the seal stays intact. It won’t crack and detach.
Crack injection is highly effective for localized leaks, but it’s not a complete solution for every wet basement. If you have water entering at the floor-wall joint or seeping up through your basement floor, other solutions are required to fix those problems. During our free home inspections, we’ll fully evaluate your situation and make recommendations based on the issues that we find.
If you have visible foundation cracks, a musty/moldy smell in your basement, or have tested positive for radon, sealing those cracks is one of the most direct actions you can take. At StayDry®, we’ve been helping Michigan homeowners since 2005 with foundation cracks and basement waterproofing. Having a safe, sealed foundation is one of the simplest ways to protect your home and the air your family breathes.
The StayDry® team has 100+ years of combined experience with basement waterproofing, foundation repair, crawl space repair, wall repair, and mold control.
Give us a call or fill out the form here and we’ll get in touch to schedule your free inspection.
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