Why Are My Basement Walls Bowing?

There are a number of factors that could contribute to the bowing of your basement walls. In most cases, bowed walls are caused and exacerbated by a number of factors that need to be assessed and dealt with separately. The most common are: 

• Excess Hydrostatic Pressure 

All homes are subject to some level of hydrostatic pressure, but if an underground water source or extreme weather causes this level to rise you are likely to see cracks appearing in your basement walls. This extra pressure will, over time, cause your walls to lean and bow. There are many potential causes of a sudden increase in hydrostatic pressure around a property, but the most likely are flooding and expansive soil. 

Certain soils—for example, clay-based soils—are incredibly reactive when it comes to moisture. When they are saturated they expand and when dehydrated they shrink. This can be very bad for the structure of a property. When these soils soak up water, the hydrostatic pressure exerted on your home skyrockets. This is a very common cause of bowing walls. 

• A Damaged Foundation 

Settlement is one foundation issue that can be particularly hard on a property’s walls. As a property sinks, after all, it rarely does so in an even fashion. This means some walls can face excess strain as a result of the process. While it is most common for these walls to crack, they can also start to bow or lean inward. 

Subsidence is one foundation issue that can be particularly hard on a property’s walls. As a property sinks, after all, it rarely does so in an even fashion. This means some walls can face excess strain as a result of the process. While it is most common for these walls to crack, they can also start to bow or lean inward.