Why Is My Wall Bowing?

If the walls in your basement are cracking, leaning, or bowing, you could have serious problems ahead. These kinds of issues are usually caused by instability or pressure. The most common causes are: 

• Foundation Damage 

Foundation sinking, settlement, and heaving are serious issues all on their own, but they can also cause other problems because of their destabilizing effect on the overall structure of a property. This can lead to excessive pressure being placed on certain walls, causing them to lean or bow, but it can also impact floors, ceilings, and even your roof. 

Broadly speaking, the different kinds of foundation damage are more likely to cause bowing walls than others. Subsidence, for example, is more likely to cause bowing walls than settlement because of how uneven sinking can put excessive pressure on certain walls. Settlement, by contrast, is more likely to lead to sunken sections of flooring. 

• Excess Hydrostatic Pressure 

Hydrostatic pressure is the biggest cause of bowing walls. All properties face some level of hydrostatic pressure; in fact, they are designed to withstand it. However, if the levels of hydrostatic pressure in the soil around your home suddenly increase or regularly exceed its capacity to cope, your basement walls can begin to buckle and bow as a result of the lateral pressure. 

Excessive hydrostatic pressure is often caused by poor drainage capabilities in the soil around your home. You can mitigate this level of soil saturation by improving your property’s drainage solutions, but this will not rectify the bowing of the wall. For that, you will need specialist solutions and professional intervention.