What Are Wall Anchors?

You may have heard that wall anchors are one of the best methods for foundation repair. However, the average homeowner may not know what these wall anchors do for their foundation, much less how they are installed.   

The Purpose of Wall Anchors 

Wall anchors work to prevent further damage by protecting your foundation from the hardships that the elements can bring. While they cannot combat water accumulation near your home’s foundation or stop clay soil expansion, wall anchors can most certainly prevent severe damage from hydrostatic pressure. They are also very effective in protecting against damage that can exacerbate foundation issues, as well as potentially correcting the damage that has already been done to your home’s foundation. 

Understanding what wall anchors are made of can help homeowners understand how they work and how they can be so reliable. The term “wall anchors” is slightly misleading, because the main part of the wall anchor is not visible; instead, it’s buried in your yard’s soil. This is what gives them their other common name: earth anchors. The steel earth anchors are very strong metal and resist corrosion, rust, and other damage. This helps it to hold up your home’s foundation. 

How Wall Anchors Are Installed 

For the Basement Wall Anchor System, the expert crew at Tar Heel Basement Systems will first excavate about 12 feet into the earth. Depending on the extent of your foundation or basement wall damage, however, the crew may excavate more holes for the wall anchors to be put into place. The crew then drills the anchor rods for the wall anchors through the damaged foundation or basement wall, which connects the external wall anchors to the inside part of the wall anchor. External steel plates are then secured in the augured exterior holes away from the foundation, and the interior plates are set into place on the inside of the damaged wall. At the interior plate, the team begins to tighten the anchors with a wrench to pull the anchors closer to your damaged foundation wall, so that it can hold it up with stability. 

By contrast, the IntelliBrace™ Wall Repair System does not require any excavation into the earth. Instead, the team installs the galvanized steel IntelliBraces™ directly onto the inside part of your damaged foundation wall. Again, depending on the severity of the damage done to your foundation walls and the size of that wall, the crew may install more braces. These braces extend from the floor to the highest part of the ceiling against the wall, so you are guaranteed stability and protection against even more damage.