What are carbon straps and why are they important in a basement renovation project?

Many contractors, homeowners and do-it-yourselfers are eager to pull the trigger on renovating their basement but there could be one major issue on your hands if you miss this very important step. I am talking about a weakened or cracked foundation retaining wall. Just image if you sunk 10s of thousands dollars into the prefect mancave or hobby room that you have always dreamed about and boom . . .  water leakage. Now before you get mislead these carbon reinforcing straps themselves will not stop the water from entering your basement, but they are an essential part of the preventive measures to stop your nightmare from coming true.

At its core, a carbon reinforcing strap is a carbon fiber-based material that is woven and boned together by an epoxy based coating. The purpose they serve is to reinforce your building’s concrete retaining wall so that the soil pressure over time does not cause new or further cracking of the retaining wall. This is important in keeping the structural integrity in your building, as well as controlling water penetration into the basement. They are installed by cleaning the existing concrete block and applying a heavy duty epoxy coating to the wall.  Then, applying additional pressure when the strap is in place. It is also very important to seal exiting cracks that have formed in the wall with a polyethene base caulk or with the same heavy duty epoxy used to secure the strips on the wall. This is a critical step in ensuring that your home or building is safe.

To learn more or to join our BREATHE HEALTHY Initiative, visit baxtergroupinc.com.  Request a copy of our BREATHE HEALTHY e-book.

 

Share:

More Posts