Steven Gamsby Explaining Advantages of Epoxy Crack Injection

1. The tensile strength of cured epoxy is typically 7000 psi whereas the tensile strength of concrete
is in the range of 300 – 700 psi; clearly, the bond strength of epoxy is much greater than that of the
foundation wall; making epoxy a good choice for foundation wall structural crack repair. When
tension is applied to a crack due to thermal cycling or the retraction of the soil against the exterior of
the foundation wall, the cured epoxy crack repair will not yield. In most cases, an epoxy crack
injection will also not yield to crack tension attributable to excessive loading of the foundation. This
excessive loading generally is found where steel I-beams are located.

2. When a crack is under tension it opens up; therefore, a material that cannot withstand the
tension will tear. Epoxy is the best material to use when a crack is under tension; however, a
reinforced polyurethane crack injection will work just as well.

3. The low pressure injection method used for an epoxy injection provides visual confirmation to
the injection technician that the crack has been completely filled.

4. The curing time allows the epoxy to gravity feed within the crack, thereby filling all parts of even
the finest cracks.

5. Epoxies can be obtained in various viscosities to suit very fine to very wide cracks. It is also
possible to obtain very low viscosities for epoxy on-the-job in order to properly fill very fine hairline
cracks.

Steven Gamsby Explaining Disadvantages of Epoxy Crack Injections

1. Since an epoxy injection is a surface port injection, the injection ports must adhere to the wall
surface, directly over the crack, with a very strong bond. Moisture adversely affects the adhesive
qualities of the anchoring epoxy used to adhere the injection ports onto the crack. Without sufficient
bond strength, the anchoring epoxy will not withstand the pressure of the injection. If a crack is
actively leaking or if the surface of the wall is damp or wet, the paste will not adhere well to the
crack surface and therefore, an epoxy crack injection cannot be done reliably.

2. If the inside surfaces of a foundation crack are wet the epoxy will not adhere to the concrete.
3. Epoxy crack injection is not suitable for the re-injection of previously injected crack repairs that
have failed. When an injection has failed, it is logical to assume that there is residual injection
material within the crack; this being the case, injected epoxy may not travel along the full length of
the crack due to obstructions. In this situation, it is adviseable to use an injection material with
expansive properties (polyurethane); this will ensure that whatever voids remain in the crack,
responsible for the ongoing leaking of the crack, will be filled.

4. Quite often, homeowners attempt to repair basement leaks by using hydraulic cement or
caulking; these repairs typically fail. In such instances, epoxy injections are inappropriate for several
reasons: there is no longer clear surface access to the crack, mud and/or mineral has likely built-up
in the crack and the concrete around parts of the crack is often damaged due to saturation that
resulted from water trapped in the crack.

5. While the curing time and the available viscosities of epoxy are viewed as positive attributes of
this type of injection, they can also be viewed as weaknesses. Epoxy crack injection relies on the
containment of epoxy within a crack until the epoxy has cured – a process that typically takes several
hours. This containment relies upon the compacted soil against the outside wall. Poorly compacted
soil, the presence of air-gap damp-proofing membranes and the use of epoxies of excessively low
viscosity are conditions that will result in the bleeding of epoxy into the soil. If most of the epoxy
bleeds into the soil while the epoxy is curing, the injection will likely fail because the crack hasn’t
been completely filled. This is the reason that faster curing epoxies have been created.

The inflexibility of epoxy is often cited as a negative attribute of epoxy crack injections. While it is
true that epoxy is inflexible, one must keep in mind that the entire poured concrete foundation is
rigid; therefore, the need for flexibility in the material used to inject a crack, in our opinion, is
illogical as there is really no need accommodate crack movement. In residential construction,
allowances for cracking are only required by the Building Code when walls exceed 25 meters in
length.