Poured concrete shrinks as it cures, so many poured basement walls get thin vertical cracks within a few years. Block walls crack along their mortar joints, and old brick and fieldstone walls lose mortar a little every year as water washes through. Freeze and thaw cycles work at all of them. The right repair depends on what the wall is made of, how wide the crack is, and whether the wall has moved.
Which cracks are a bigger concern?
- Horizontal cracks, or a wall leaning or bowing inward
- Stair-step cracking through block or brick joints
- Cracks noticeably wider at one end
- Cracks that grow or reopen after they've been patched
- Doors or windows upstairs that start sticking at the same time
Those can point to soil pressure or settlement, and a structural engineer's opinion may be worth getting before any waterproofing. Clay-rich soil that stays wet and freezes in winter pushes harder on a wall than soil that drains. A hairline vertical crack that only seeps water is usually the simpler job.
How are leaks in the wall repaired?
- Injection for poured concrete. Polyurethane or epoxy is pumped through ports along the crack until it fills from the inside face to the outside. Polyurethane stays flexible and is mostly used to stop leaks; epoxy bonds the concrete and is chosen where strength matters.
- Block walls. Open joints can be repointed, and hollow block that fills with water is often drained into interior drain tile through small holes at the bottom course.
- Fieldstone and old brick. These need repointing with a mortar soft enough for the material. Hard modern mortar on old brick or soft stone can trap water and break the masonry around it.
Do I need a permit in Utica?
The City of Utica requires a building permit for any construction costing $1,000 or more, and for any renovation in the Scenic and Historic District regardless of cost. Ask the company whether your repair crosses that line and who will apply. In New Hartford, Whitestown, Rome and the other towns, check with your own building office.
What drives the price?
- How many cracks there are and how long they run
- Wall type: poured, block, brick or stone
- Finished walls, framing or ductwork in the way
- Any structural reinforcement the wall needs
Pricing comes only from the waterproofing company, after someone has been down in the basement, looked at the walls, floor joint and sump, and walked the outside of the house to see where roof and yard water goes. We don't quote prices, and nobody can price a basement accurately over the phone.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can I fix a leaking crack with hydraulic cement?
A surface plug can slow a small leak, but water often works around it. Injection fills the crack through the full wall thickness, which is why it usually lasts longer on poured concrete.
Should an engineer look at a bowing wall first?
Yes. If a wall is bowing, has a horizontal crack, or a crack keeps widening, get the movement assessed before waterproofing. Sealing a wall that's still moving doesn't stop the movement.
Related services
More background: Oneida County basement water guide.
Snowmelt on the floor, a weeping wall, or a sump that never rests?
Call and an Oneida County waterproofing company will come find where the water gets in.