Most folks have heard that "good fences make good neighbors." The same can be said for retaining walls. A good retaining wall allows adjacent properties to be safe and functional despite significant differences in elevation. Retaining walls can transform a sloping site that is unsuitable for development, and transform it into a number of level lots that can support buildings, parking areas, walkways or recreation areas. On a smaller scale, a wall can create an even parking or turnaround area for a residence or "carve out--" a level area suitable for an outdoor patio or walkway.
Retaining Wall Problems Require Attention
Regardless of its size, a retaining wall doesn't usually attract attention until something goes wrong. Most wall problems tend to be more than aesthetic; they indicate structural conditions that could eventually cause all or portion of the wall to fail. That is why small wall problems should be addressed as soon as they become apparent.
We most often see smaller walls tilting or bowing as soil pressure on the uphill side of the wall becomes too great for the wall to carry. In a masonry wall, cracks are likely to develop in areas where the soil pressure is greatest. If the wall is made of blocks or CMUs (concrete masonry units), "stair-step" cracking along mortar or joint lines is common. A poured-concrete wall can crack and bow in a more random fashion; additionally, it may start tilting downhill.
Damage
There are certain instances when a damaged retaining wall should be dismantled and rebuilt. For example, you can't usually fix damage from rotting railroad-ties in a wood wall. However, many masonry-based walls can be "rescued" rather than demolished when damage occurs.
Retaining wall damage is quite similar to the damage that can eventually foundation walls. Because of this, foundation repair contractors have the training and materials to repair and reinforce smaller walls. This sort of specialty contractor is usually the best choice for small wall fixes.
Helical Repairs
Foundation repair contractors often utilize helical anchors, also referred to as "tiebacks," to fix a retaining wall which has begun to crack and/or tilt. These steel anchors are made to work like giant screws.
First, a hole should be made in the retaining wall to provide clearance for the anchor. Then helical-shaped plates on the shaft of the anchor pull it in to the soil behind the retaining wall because the anchor is turned. By measuring the hydraulic pressure necessary to turn the anchor, technicians can determine when an anchor is deep enough to exert sufficient bracing force on the retaining wall. After a steel plate is installed over the end of the anchor that protrudes through the wall, a large-diameter nut can be tightened on the anchor shaft to exert claming pressure on the wall.
Helical anchors aren't the only real weapon in a contractor's wall repair arsenal. Find out more could be essential to install curtain drains above the wall in order that water could be directed from the wall. A partial or full excavation of the wall might need to be achieved in badly damaged areas. Making repairs sooner rather than later is the best means of avoiding the more expensive repairs which are necessary after greater damage occurs.