For this project, we installed staple dowels, and injected cracks in a 40-year-old single-family home in Reading, Ohio. Located on a sloping lot, the foundation of this home acts as a retaining wall on one side. This side of the home was not under any visible stress, but the downhill side had vertical differential foundation settlement cracks.
Differential foundation settlement is when two different portions of a foundation wall move separately from each other. This can cause vertical, diagonal, or even stair-stepped cracks to form. The designing engineer of Buyers Protection Group, suspected that the cracks may be a result of a drainage failure. The engineer suggested they address the drainage with a plumber, stabilize the wall with two staple dowels, and seal the crack with epoxy injections.
So, what are staple dowels?
Staple dowels are essentially a section of steel rebar bent at either end, so that they roughly resemble a large staple. Typically, staple dowels are installed toward the top of large vertical cracks and used in conjunction with epoxy injections.
This is an instance in which the client likely saved a lot of money in the long run by going to an engineer. Our bill for the staple dowels and injections came to around $800. Meanwhile, an unscrupulous contractor could easily have convinced them they needed underpinnings to the tune of many thousands of dollars. This is why we are always telling people that it is worth the cost of an engineer to know you are paying for repairs, and not just work.
Are you putting off dealing with a scary crack in your foundation? It is always better to know what you are dealing with by contacting a licensed structural engineer. Like this homeowner discovered, the repair may wind up being not nearly as scary as you think. Contact us if you aren’t sure what your next step should be, we are happy to talk you through it.
