WHY IS EPOXY USED IN FOUNDATION CRACK REPAIR?
Epoxy resins are usually found as two substances: a “base” and a “curing agent”. Typically, the base is a white resin and the curing agent or hardener is black. When mixed together they create a chemical reaction. This generates heat and bonds the elements into a hard durable plastic. For foundation crack repair, their adhesive properties and durability are extraordinary. Especially when placing a cap over narrow vertical and diagonal cracks in your basement walls. Epoxy creates a very strong bond, but offers no ability to flex in the event of normal swelling and contraction. This often occurs during annual temperature swings or in the event of routine settling of the foundation.over time.
HOW FAST DOES EPOXY USED IN FOUNDATION CRACK REPAIR SET?
Once the curing agent and the base have been mixed together at room temperature the resulting epoxy mixture can be worked with. It can be spread or even injected for a short period of time, usually no more than 15 minutes. Because of this, SEALED works with many small batches during a repair. On occasion, we may also work on small sections of the exterior of the foundation. If this is the case, we need the ambient temperature to be at least 40 degrees. And we avoid direct sunlight as the UV rays will cause the epoxy to harden very quickly. It is important to note that while we sometimes place epoxy over a visible exterior crack we rarely inject polyurethane from the exterior.
FIBERGLASS TAPE STRENGTHENS THE EPOXY SEAL ON A FOUNDATION CRACK
SEALED embeds a layer of fiberglass tape called Fibatape™ in the epoxy cap we apply over the crack in a foundation wall. This strengthens the epoxy seal and ultimately requires less epoxy. Therefore, curing time is reduced. In most cases, we start with a layer of epoxy, then the Fibatape™ and then one or two more thin layers of epoxy. Since adopting this practice, we have significantly reduced leaks during the injection process.
For more about using epoxy during a polyurethane injection foundation repair go here.
A CONCRETE JOKE
The very first people to lay down a concrete road paved the way for the rest of us.
