What Are the Causes of Basement Cement Walls Crumbling?

Time

• Time may be the factor at hand for how strong the basement walls are. Even with the best formulations, concrete can break down over time. Although it takes form similar to solid rock, it is an aggregate of crushed stone material that will break down to its base form over a long period of time. Inspect the basement's walls several times a year to identify any problems in the wall before they become major. Small signs of deterioration can be remedied with durable patchwork that will add years to the house's foundational integrity.

Water and Water Drainage

• Water is the culprit if moisture is detected. Concrete is prepared with water, so it has an affinity to moisture. The solid concrete material is also very porous, so water or moisture that comes in contact with the concrete has somewhere to go.

  Improper water drainage away from the house will only cause damage to the house's foundation. Proper grading that slopes the ground's surface downward and away from the house determines what direction rain water will flow to drain. Improper grading towards the house will only keep the soil adjacent to the cement foundation moist, which is not good for the cement walls.

  Drainage pipes that channel the rainwater from the roof downward must also drain away from the house's foundation. If a consistent feed of water pools in one area near the foundation, expect to see some damage to the foundation's cement wall in that area over time.

Waterproofing

• Waterproofing enhances the effects of correcting any water drainage problems. It is not a substitute for correcting the root cause of moisture around the foundation, though. It is even better to waterproof the outside walls of the cement foundation, but this process would require digging the soil away from the house, around its perimeter. Instead, waterproofing the inside walls will help to keep the moisture from seeping all the way through the concrete, as its materials adhere to and expand inside of the concrete's pores.

Insulation

• Improper insulation can also compromise the integrity of the basement's cement walls. Air can be almost as damaging as water. Moist air can leave deposits of moisture in the holes or cracks, which can cause the concrete to expand and contract more with the change in temperatures. Concrete is not a flexible material, so it will crack. Correcting holes that traverse the concrete wall and filling in cracks and missing mortar are all ways to correct air pockets in the concrete.

Cement Quality

• The quality of the cement may be a culprit in the problem of a crumbling wall. Concrete must be mixed well, with the right amount of water, in order for it to form a strong, solid structure. The mix of also must be construction-grade and not a mix with too much sand in it. If the wall starts to crumble, have a sample of the concrete tested to find out if the wall was constructed properly.