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Six signs a retaining wall is about to fail

Walls give warning before they go. The signs are easy to read once you know them.

Leaning at the top

Pressure behind the wall exceeding what it can resist. Almost always missing or blocked drainage.

Blocks stepping out of line

The base has moved, which means it was not buried, not level, or not on compacted material.

Soil washing through the face

Filter fabric missing. Fines are migrating out, which means voids are forming behind the wall.

Cracks in a surface above the wall

The wall is moving and taking the patio or driveway with it.

Bone dry after heavy rain

Counterintuitive, but a wall with working drainage should show water leaving at the base. Nothing coming out means water is staying in.

Bulging in the middle

A belly in the face is the most serious of the six. Stop loading the area above it and get it looked at.

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