Living in a house built into a hill means that you're likely to have extra pressure the foundation walls facing uphill. When you think about it, it makes sense. Soil pushing against those surfaces can lead to cracks, and depending on how the basement or crawl space is finished, you might miss small cracks until they become a big problem.
I learned this firsthand during an immersion press trip with Groundworks, where a structural repair team helped correct decades of damage to save a home in Berwyn, Pennsylvania.
If you're experiencing horizontal cracks, pay attention. Without maintenance, they may threaten the integrity of the house.
How to Spot Foundation Cracks
Look closely at your basement and poured concrete foundation walls for these tell‑tale signs:
- Horizontal cracks – straight lines running parallel to the floor.
- Vertical cracks – running up and down, common in poured foundations.
- Stair-step or diagonal cracks – zig‑zag patterns in block foundations.
- Wall bowing or leaning – when soil pressure pushes in blocks, you might notice walls bending inward.
Can soil pressure alone cause cracks?
Yes, and the home in Berwyn was the perfect example. Despite being built with a very deep footing and property upgrades like advanced gutter systems and french drains, rain water and soil pressure put a tremendous weight against the basement wall that faced uphill. And as you can imagine, bouts of heavy rain and melting snow exacerbate how moisture flows with gravity down any hill. It increases the weight of the soil against the foundation wall.
Over time, cracks appeared. Interior moisture damage became more pronounced. Efforts were made to prevent the wall from bowing, but it wasn't enough. Structural repairs were necessary to push back against the weight of the soil, and prevent the home from eventual collapse.
An Option For Walls With Mild Damage
If the damage is minor—we're talking about small cracks—carbon fiber reinforcement is a smart investment.
During my trip, Groundworks' General Manager Sean Cahill and On-Site Structural Foreman Nick Fisicaro explained how they would be using a foundation pier system to correct bowing on the most vulnerable walls, but carbon fiber strips in an area that only needed preventative reinforcement.
The carbon fiber product is lightweight. It's thin, durable, and doesn’t require digging. The strips attach with a specially-formulated saturant structural epoxy and provide strong tension resistance. "Once it's set and the epoxy dries, it's as strong as can be," explained Fisicaro.
"I've never seen a home with carbon fiber strips experience damage down the road," added Cahill.
When to Call in Structural Engineers
There's good reason to catch foundation damage early, but when you have serious symptoms—like wide foundation cracks, wall bowing, or water intrusion—don't delay getting help from an expert. "The previous homeowners tried to make repairs, but it wasn't enough," explained the current homeowner in Berwyn. "Yes, there was some sticker shock, but it has to be done. My neighbor had the same problems with the slope of his land, and this fixed the issue."
A structural engineer or a foundation repair company can recommend steps like:
- Steel piers or slab piers to lift and stabilize settling foundation issues.
- Wall braces or channel anchors to push bowed walls back upright.
- Epoxy crack injection or hydraulic cement to seal major leaks.
Is carbon fiber reinforcement permanent?
Applied using the correct saturant epoxy, it is a permanent installation, and when installed correctly, carbon fiber strips can last decades. It may not stop all damage—especially if it was installed too late—but placed at the first sign of cracking, it can offer long‑term support without major excavation or investment.
