SettleStop IntelliBrace™ Wall Repair System
The moment you notice your foundation walls are cracking and bowing inward, do not delay in seeking advice from a foundation repair professional. If you catch these issues in time, certain wall repair solutions like SettleStop IntelliBrace™ beams can be used to strengthen and restore your walls. Otherwise, if your walls fall into such an advanced state of disrepair, they could fail completely and put your family’s safety and your home’s structural integrity at risk.
While a variety of wall repair solutions are available to you, the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system stands out as the best option when you have a wall that is bowing more than two inches but your property doesn’t necessarily have the room for outside digging for wall anchors.
How Can the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ System Help with Wall Repair?
The SettleStop IntelliBrace™ wall repair system is one of the options that helps with basement wall repair. Here’s why the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ wall repair system is a great option for many homeowners needing to have basement walls repaired.
- No Need for Access to the Outside Wall
Perhaps the best thing in the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system’s favor is the fact that you don’t need access to the wall on the outside to install it. For certain wall-straightening needs, including things like wall anchors, you’ll need to dig against the foundation deep enough to gain access to the outside wall so you can connect the straightening tool.
However, this isn’t always possible for homeowners. You may not be able to dig down into the area because the wall sits very close to another homeowner’s property. If the digging is a problem around your property, then the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ might be a great option. Foundation repair experts can install the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ from the inside of the basement without ever having to dig down and attach it from the outside.
- Slow Straightening Over Time
When an expert first puts on the SettleStop IntelliBrace™, it will just hold the wall in place. It won’t start straightening the bowed wall at all in the very beginning. Instead, at first, it’s just there to make sure the wall doesn’t fall even further into the basement from the pressure of the water and the soil on the outside of it. The magic happens over time.
When you know the basement wall isn’t continuing to push into the basement, you can have your preferred foundation professional slowly tighten the system. These walls typically don’t want to fall back into place because of the significant pressure on the outside. However, if it is done relatively slowly over time, the soil on the outside of the wall pulls back a little, making it easier to do so.
- Self-Contained Within the Wall
A great bonus with the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ is that you don’t have to worry about it extending too far out of your basement. With wall straightening tools like wall anchors, you need a decent amount of extension outside the wall. That can be tricky if your home sits next to anyone else’s; it’s unlikely the other person will take kindly to you digging in their yard.
Instead, you may be able to utilize the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system. This maintains the entire system on the inside of the wall with a steel I-beam. That means you don’t have to worry about it extending into someone else’s yard or going too far out from the wall to be feasible. Instead, it’s self-contained and stuck to the wall.
Foundation Repair Solutions
Are There Limitations with the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ Wall Repair System?
As with any other system, there are limitations to what the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ wall repair system may be able to do. When a foundation repair expert suggests installing the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system, you need to make sure you’re aware of what these limitations are so you go into the wall repair process open-minded.
- Bowing Walls That Aren’t Extensive
The best option for the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system is bowing basement walls that aren’t very extensive. That’s because the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system works best with relatively minor problems, and it might not work as well when your problems are more severe. Mild problems will be your best bet for a fix with the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system.
For the most part, this means that you’re going to have to invest in fixes for your bowing basement walls as soon as you notice them. If you’re noticing any tilting, bowing, or severe cracks that indicate more leaning is afoot, you should call an expert rather than just assume that you have nothing to worry about. Bowing basement walls are a problem no matter how severe they are, and can quickly escalate if left alone.
- More Extensive Bowing Wall Issues
If you have extremely extensive bowing issues with your basement walls, foundation repair professionals are more likely to recommend wall anchors, which are a more “traditional” fix. They exert more pressure and are better at severe problems. However, there are several other fixes that you might be able to institute, which include solutions like carbon fiber basement reinforcement.
There’s no real way, however, to determine which solution will be best without a physical inspection to see what’s happening in your basement specifically. An expert can use a trained eye to evaluate how severe your problem is, what limitations your walls and structural supports have, and other contributing factors. They will let you know whether they think it’s best to go with something stronger or whether the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system could work for you.
FAQs About the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ Wall Repair System
It’s a good idea to know a little bit more about what might indicate that you’re having foundation wall problems. These things all indicate some sort of foundation wall problem in your basement.
- Bowing Basement Walls
This is one of the most common symptoms of foundation wall problems. A bowing basement wall occurs when the top and bottom of the wall are in more or less the correct place, but somewhere in the middle, the wall pushes inward toward the inside of the basement. This indicates that the basement wall has started to move out of the way because of pressure from the outside.
Whether it’s only a small amount or it’s extremely obvious, you need to take steps to avoid bowing basement walls in general. If you leave the problem, it’s only going to get worse, especially once it’s started moving into a bowing position. Plus, if you catch the problem earlier, you’re more likely to be able to fix it.
- Cracks in Basement Walls
Another indication of a problem is if you start to see cracks in your walls. Two common types of cracks tend to indicate foundational concerns: stair-step cracks and horizontal cracks. Hairline cracks can exist and not be a foundational problem, but they may let water into the basement because water is great at going through even the tiniest of openings.
If you have stair-step cracks or horizontal cracks, however, it almost always indicates that there’s a foundational problem. Horizontal cracks typically indicate that the wall is bowing inward, putting stress on that area. Stair step cracks typically indicate that one side of the wall is sinking more than the other, adding tension on one side until it cracks.
- Waterproofing Problems in Your Basement
It’s also important to look at the waterproofing options you have available in your basement. Your basement needs to stay as clean and dry as possible; many homeowners have gone through the basement waterproofing process. However, if those waterproofing measures fail, you might have foundational problems.
This is especially true with cracks in the wall. Even the tiniest cracks can cause water to flow through the basement walls. It may be very slow or relatively fast, but regardless of the speed, water in your basement can cause many different problems. Water problems should be cause for concern, especially if you have already waterproofed your basement.
The process of repairing bowing walls makes it much easier for you to manage your basement health. If you have issues with your basement walls, you need to repair them as early as you can. Repairing your bowing basement walls will help you in a variety of ways.
- Serious Foundation Concerns
Although it’s relatively rare, if you leave the bowing walls for too long, you can end up with serious foundation concerns, up to and including a complete collapse of one or more walls in your basement. That’s because bowing basement walls are a symptom of a problem, not the problem itself, and countering the problem is crucial.
Even though it’s not very common, you want to avoid complete foundation failure at all costs. These serious foundation problems should be more than enough reason to fix your bowing basement walls. This is especially true because serious foundation concerns can build over time, causing even more trouble.
- An Expert Can Help Make the Repair Easy
An early foundation fix will always be easier. You need to make sure you’re repairing these bowed basement walls as early as possible so you can do it in a less invasive and more effective manner rather than waiting until it’s going to hurt you.
You don’t need to try and fix your bowed basement walls alone, and a DIY fix can even make the foundation worse, rather than better. If you entrust your basement wall repair to an expert from Groundworks, you’ll be much more likely to get a thorough repair that will help you fix all the problems you’re experiencing in your home.
Fix Your Foundation Walls with the Help of a Groundworks Expert
Your foundation walls may have more unique problems than the ones we’ve covered in this post. However, whether you’re having common basement wall problems or much more particular ones, the solution will probably be the same: straighten the wall however possible.
If you try to fix your foundation walls alone, you run the risk of either making the problem worse or making it just look like you fixed the problem. Instead, schedule a free inspection with Groundworks to learn more about whether the SettleStop IntelliBrace™ system is right for you.