A failing retaining wall isn’t just an eyesore — it’s a safety hazard. Walls that hold back soil can collapse suddenly, damaging landscaping, structures, and potentially injuring people. As ICPI-certified installers who’ve built and repaired hundreds of retaining walls across Metro Atlanta, here are the warning signs we tell homeowners to watch for.
1. Leaning or Tilting
A retaining wall should be vertical or slightly tilted back into the hillside (called “batter”). If it’s leaning forward — even slightly — the wall is being pushed by soil pressure it can’t handle.
What causes it: Insufficient base depth, missing geogrid reinforcement, poor drainage behind the wall, or the wall simply wasn’t designed for the load it’s holding.
How urgent: Moderate to high. A leaning wall won’t fix itself — it will continue to move until it fails.
2. Horizontal Cracking
Vertical hairline cracks in block walls are usually cosmetic. Horizontal cracks are the dangerous ones. They indicate the wall is bowing under lateral pressure from the soil behind it.
What causes it: Water buildup behind the wall (hydrostatic pressure) pushing the wall outward. This is the #1 reason retaining walls fail in Atlanta — our clay soil holds water instead of draining it.
How urgent: High. Horizontal cracking under load can lead to sudden failure.
3. Bulging or Belly in the Wall
If you sight along the wall and see a bulge or “belly” — a section that pushes outward compared to the rest — the wall is actively failing in that section.
What causes it: Localized drainage failure, tree root pressure, or a section where backfill wasn’t properly compacted.
How urgent: High. The bulging section is the weakest point and most likely to collapse first.
4. Soil Erosion at the Base
If you see soil washing out from under the wall, or the bottom blocks are exposed when they shouldn’t be, the foundation is being undermined.
What causes it: Poor drainage directing water toward the wall base, insufficient footer depth, or downspout discharge too close to the wall.
How urgent: Moderate. Fix the drainage issue before the foundation is completely undermined.
5. Water Seeping Through the Wall Face
Some moisture is normal after heavy rain. But if water is actively flowing through joints or weep holes are running constantly, the drainage system behind the wall has failed or was never installed.
What causes it: Missing or collapsed drain pipe, no drainage stone behind the wall, or clogged geotextile fabric.
How urgent: Moderate to high. The water pressure will eventually push the wall out.
What to Do If You See These Signs
Don’t wait. A wall that’s showing signs of failure will only get worse. Here’s our recommended action:
- Document it — take photos from multiple angles, note any recent changes
- Stop adding weight — don’t park vehicles near the top of the wall, don’t add soil or plantings above it
- Get a professional assessment — a certified installer can evaluate whether the wall can be repaired or needs replacement
- Check your property line — make sure you know who owns the wall before scheduling work
How We Build Walls That Don’t Fail
Every retaining wall we build includes:
- Engineered design for walls over 4 feet (PE-stamped drawings)
- Compacted aggregate base — minimum 6 inches, below frost line
- Geogrid reinforcement — tied into the hillside at calculated intervals
- Drainage stone and perforated pipe — behind the entire wall length
- Geotextile fabric — prevents soil from clogging the drainage system
These aren’t optional extras — they’re what separates a wall that lasts 30 years from one that fails in 5.
Concerned about your retaining wall? Get a free assessment → or call (678) 524-5531.