Used to rush foundation cracks with caulk, now I take the time to epoxy them right

Back when I first started fixing my own basement leaks about 5 years ago, I would just grab a tube of caulk and smear it over every hairline crack I saw. I thought it was good enough and it would hold for a while, but come spring rains I would find damp spots again in the same places. Then my buddy Mark, who does concrete work out in Denver, told me I was wasting my time and I needed to use low pressure epoxy injection kits. He said caulk only seals the surface while epoxy actually bonds the crack shut from inside. So last month when I found a 4 foot long crack in my foundation wall near the sump pump, I spent two full days drilling injection ports every 6 inches and mixing epoxy. It cost me about 60 bucks for the kit but the crack feels solid now and I am not worried about water sneaking through. Has anyone else made the switch from quick fix caulk to doing full epoxy repairs?

2 comments

2 Comments

rayc894d ago

So you're telling me I've been lying to myself about my caulk job this whole time? I guess that explains why my basement still smells like a damp towel even after I went full Picasso on the cracks. I'll stick with my cheap fix and just buy more dehumidifier packs.

sandrap404d ago

So Mark said the epoxy bonds from the inside, but how do you actually know it's sealed all the way through? Like did you have to wait for a rainstorm to test it or could you tell from how the crack looked after?