Ranches, bi-levels and block foundations in Monroeville
Monroeville boomed when the Parkway and Turnpike made it an easy commute. The brick ranches and bi-levels from that era are now sixty years old, and their block basements are showing it.
Monroeville, with about 28,000 residents along William Penn Highway and the Turnpike interchange, has a large stock of 1950s and 1960s brick ranches and bi-levels. Like much of the eastern suburbs, they sit on hilly ground with clay soil, and most were built on concrete block foundations with little or no drainage system below the floor.
Sixty years of freeze and thaw shows up in predictable ways: stair-step cracks at the corners, horizontal cracks along the mortar of the wall facing the slope, water at the cove joint after heavy rain, and lower-level family rooms in bi-levels that smell musty. Carports and garages on slabs that have sunk toward the house are common too, and they send water right where it does the most harm.
Most Monroeville repairs combine wall bracing where needed, an interior drain and sump on the leaking walls, and slab leveling to turn the water away.
What we see most in Monroeville
Stair-step corner cracks
Mortar-joint cracks showing a corner has moved.
Bi-level dampness
Lower-level rooms partly below grade, damp along the buried wall.
Cove joint seepage
Water at the base of block walls after heavy rain.
Slabs tipped toward the house
Carports, patios and walks funneling water at the foundation.
Parts of Monroeville we cover
- William Penn Highway (Route 22) area
- Northern Pike
- Haymaker Road
- Garden City
- Mosside Boulevard
- Old William Penn Highway
- Stroschein Road
- Monroeville Boulevard
Services for Monroeville homes
- Crack repair, bowing walls and settling, with piers where the footing needs firmer ground
- Basement waterproofing, interior drains and sump pumps
- Crawl space repair, slab leveling and a free foundation inspection
Monroeville questions
Do stair-step cracks mean my foundation is failing?
Not necessarily. They mean a corner moved, which may have been years ago. We check whether it is still moving before recommending anything structural.
Can a bi-level lower level be made dry?
Yes. Usually only the buried side needs a drain and membrane, which keeps the job manageable.
Why does water come in only near the carport?
A slab that has tipped toward the house collects runoff against the wall. Lifting it and sealing the joint often solves the leak.
Nearby: Penn Hills · Plum · Murrysville · all areas