The need for foundation repair can come about from a variety of reasons but are most commonly caused by movement of the foundation.

The most common signs of foundation problems include:

• Diagonal cracks in interior wall finishes at the corners of doors and windows.
• Cracks at the intersection of walls and ceilings, and at the intersection of wall surfaces.
• Doors that bind or do not open or close properly.
• Windows bind or do not open or close properly.
• Uneven floors and bowed walls.
• Cracks in exterior brick, concrete, or masonry.
• Cracks in the concrete perimeter beam.
• Separations of wood trim at the exterior corners of your home.

All of the above symptoms could be a sign of settlement or differential movement. Once settlement has been resolved, foundations that have bowing or cracking can be mended with Carbon Fiber Straps. When it comes to repairing a crack, it is not sufficient to simply fill the crack. You must also restore the structural stability of the structure. This generally requires reinforcement to prevent further movement.

Great Lakes Waterproofing uses a time-tested and proven method of bowed foundation and crack repair that restores the integrity and stability of the foundation. By using carbon-fiber kevlar sheet straps in combination with specifically designed epoxy, bowed foundation and crack repair can be performed effectively and efficiently with minimal obtrusion or obstruction.

Equally effective on poured or masonry structures, carbon fiber has been employed to repair and restore structural strength to commercial and residential foundation. As shown at right, the carbon-fiber sheet straps are strong enough to repair, stabilize, and reinforce the primary foundation beams of a high-rise Hotel as well as preventing continued cracking and decay of outside and inside walls.

If the Fortress Carbon Fiber System can repair and reinforce a multi-story Hotel, imagine its strength and effectiveness in a residential or small commercial foundation repair.

For customers in Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Minnesota that are worried about wall cracks and bowing walls Great Lakes Waterproofing has the solution. Using carbon fiber strips for bowed walls, and epoxy injecton for filling cracks, we can stabalize walls. Used in commercial and industrial applications, carbon fiber wall reinforcements are now a cost effective way to stabilize bowing or cracked walls. In the past, contractors would use I-beams to stop bowing foundations, over time these steel beams would rust and require expensive replacement to keep them effective.

Stop worrying about the bowed walls in your basement.  Now you can have your basement walls reinforced with a simple, practical and attractive material.  Great Lakes Waterproofing is a certified installer for The Fortress Stabilization System. By using 4-inch wide carbon fiber repair plates bonded with structural epoxy (ECS104) we can stabilize basement foundation walls!  What makes The Fortress Stabilization System the obvious choice for bowed basement walls and cracks in foundations?

• Thin as a dime - only .045" thick
• 10 times stronger than steel
• Subtle appearance - virtually unnoticeable can be painted over
• Material is non-corrosive & non-flammable
• Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty
• Installation usually in one day