Photo Album: Cracked & Bowing Basement Walls Albany, NY

While there are a number of potential causes of cracked and bowing foundation walls, the most common reason is pressure from the soil near the outside of the wall.  When clay soils get wet they expand and put pressure on the wall.  When the force exceeds the strength of the wall, the wall cracks or breaks.  This reduces the structural integrity of the wall, and when the wetting cycle is repeated, this causes further weakening and inward movement.