Basements are constructed with perimeter walls made with

1. hollow cement blocks, or
2. poured cement concrete.

Hollow block wall basement construction

The blocks are brought to the site and laid by a mason with staggered joints.  If the joints are not staggered, the basement wall will have lower strength and it is a sign of very poor workmanship.  After the blocks are laid, the hollows may be reinforced with steel bars and filled with a cement concrete to increase its strength and durability.  I am not certain if there is an easy method, for a typical home buyer or the second and the subsequent home owners to verify if the hollow block basement walls were reinforced or not.  If unreinforced, a hollow cement block basement wall is clearly inferior to a poured concrete basement wall.  The hollow cavities will provide a reservoir space for water which will eventually seep into the basement.  The unreinforced hollow block basement wall will have lower strength, durability and fire resistance.  The purposes and advantages of using hollow cement blocks is the speed and the cost savings using the the large sized blocks.  To meet the construction time parameter, a crafty home builder may decide that it is indeed desirable but not essential to reinforce the hollow blocks of the basement wall, particularly, if the applicable building codes do not explicitly require this reinforcement.

So, should a home buyer consider buying a home that has basement walls constructed with unreinforced hollow cinder blocks?  These basement walls which also act as retaining walls, will be weak in tension and are highly likely to develop cracks.  A poorly constructed basement is trouble and it is prudent to walk away from that home.

Hollow cement mortar cinder blocks used for basement construction

Concrete and steel reinforced block wall basement

Wet basements of Cleveland area in Northeast Ohio

Many homes in the Cleveland area of Cuyahoga County in Ohio have basements that are made of these hollow cement blocks.  → continue reading The wet hollow block wall basements of Cleveland, Ohio