Concrete block wall cracks

[DesertRider]

I inherited a 75 year old home with concrete block walls on three perimeter sides... in three places, the earth has settled and the walls have a full penetration zig-zag crack running top to bottom. Unfortunately I only have access to my side of the wall. My question is, can I use a two part, epoxy mix in a chalk gun to fill the voids and stabilize the walls? There’s a decorative cap on top so I can’t see if the interior voids are filled with concrete and rebar, although I suspect not...

I’m retired, fixed income, so I can’t afford to completely replace the walls...

Appreciate any and all suggestions , THANKS... Chuck in Nevada

 

[oldognewtrick]

Can you post a pic or two of the cracks? Has the wall bowed inwards?

 

[bud16415]

I take it this wall is not part of the house? How high is the wall? Can you post a photo? Is it on a footer and how deep?

 

[DesertRider]

The wall is about 6 foot I believe, don’t know about the footer, although I’m sure it has to have one wouldn’t it? As for bowing inward, I’ll have to make a trip to check that out, I don’t live in the same city as the home...

 

[bud16415]

You really only have a few options. Fill the cracks and see what happens, Take that section down and rebuild it up with new blocks, Do nothing and wait and see if it gets worse.

I would go with the first.

 

[Steve123]

So that is just like a fence, not part of the house, right ?

I would re-point the joints between the blocks with mortar, and just leave the crack. Anything like epoxy or mortar is not going to keep that crack from moving if it wants to move, and anything you smear on top is going to look worse than the original crack.

 

[DesertRider]

So that is just like a fence, not part of the house, right ?

I would re-point the joints between the blocks with mortar, and just leave the crack. Anything like epoxy or mortar is not going to keep that crack from moving if it wants to move, and anything you smear on top is going to look worse than the original crack.

Thanks Steve, very much appreciate your advice... one question, I’m a rank amateur when it comes to this stuff... what does “re-point the joint” mean?

 

[Steve123]

Check out some Youtube videos - search "repoint block wall". Probably it will mostly come back with repointing brick walls, but same thing.
Use mortar, not concrete patch.