Bowed Wall Problems

Pressure Issues Inward

• One of the more common causes of a bowed wall is increased pressure from the soil outside a foundation or basement. Ordinary pressure and weight from the earth around the wall is not a problem, but sometimes the weight-bearing capacity of the wall is miscalculated, or the soil around the wall is compacted at a later date. The result is an increase in pressure and the slow buckling of the wall itself.

Pressure Issues Downward

• The weight of the house can also cause structural problems for the foundation. If the foundation is not built properly or if remodeling changes the weight of the house too much, the pressure down on the wall will become too much for the wall to bear and it will begin to buckle inward. Adding supports and new load-bearing components to the foundation can often relieve the stress that is causing the bowing problem.

Moisture Problems

• Even if the wall is built properly, high moisture content in the surrounding soil can cause problems with the way the wall functions. Poor drainage can lead to additional weight of water against the wall that it was not built to endure. Moisture can also cause many stone and concrete walls to crumble over time, eventually losing their integrity.

Warning Cracks

• These primary causes of bowed walls often lead to lesser problems that tend to be more noticeable. A very common one is cracks. By studying the pattern of these cracks, contractors can often tell what kind of pressure is affecting the wall and where it is coming from.