Foundation Cracks?
#1
12-01-02, 07:58 PM
Foundation Cracks?
We bought our home about 2 & half years ago. It is a one level home but the yard is so sloped that the "crawl space" is actually a "walk in" space. This unfinished basement area from the inside is made up of a grey block- I think my dad called it "light set" - I forget exactly the term he used. From the outside, the area that can be seen is covered in some sort of stucco like material but again, I am not sure exactly what this material is.
This summer we had a drought, and the yard cracked like a parched desert. After listening to a news report about somebody's chimney pulling away from their home, I think these cracks in the yard caused the following: there are cracks in 4 places (that I have noticed) in the block wall that go all the way through the stucco to the inside of the basement.
At risk of sounding like a complete ding dong- these IS the foundation that is cracked- right? (or is the foundation under the ground more?) What do I do? Is this something that we can fix or do we need to hire someone? Is this something that must be fixed immediately to avoid the house falling/collapsing? I ask that because we're not really in a financial possition to do it right now, but if it is something really hazzardous we'd have to work something out!
Thank you for all info and assistance!
This summer we had a drought, and the yard cracked like a parched desert. After listening to a news report about somebody's chimney pulling away from their home, I think these cracks in the yard caused the following: there are cracks in 4 places (that I have noticed) in the block wall that go all the way through the stucco to the inside of the basement.
At risk of sounding like a complete ding dong- these IS the foundation that is cracked- right? (or is the foundation under the ground more?) What do I do? Is this something that we can fix or do we need to hire someone? Is this something that must be fixed immediately to avoid the house falling/collapsing? I ask that because we're not really in a financial possition to do it right now, but if it is something really hazzardous we'd have to work something out!
Thank you for all info and assistance!
#3
12-02-02, 07:30 AM
cracks...
Well, there is no actual floor in the walk in basment mostly drainage type rocks and some cement slabs right by the doors....
How small does it have to be to be a "hairline" crack? They are in the joints between the blocks- like the cement (mortar or whatever) is loose. The longest crack goes in a stair step pattern up about 4 blocks, there are smaller ones that i have not seen from the inside so I don't know exactly how they are patterened. This long one lets light through to the basement - that's how my husband noticed it, he was under there getting some holiday stuff out and noticed a crack of light coming through the wall... There is another by the second door that is causing the door to not close properly.
How small does it have to be to be a "hairline" crack? They are in the joints between the blocks- like the cement (mortar or whatever) is loose. The longest crack goes in a stair step pattern up about 4 blocks, there are smaller ones that i have not seen from the inside so I don't know exactly how they are patterened. This long one lets light through to the basement - that's how my husband noticed it, he was under there getting some holiday stuff out and noticed a crack of light coming through the wall... There is another by the second door that is causing the door to not close properly.
#4
12-02-02, 12:45 PM
TraceyB,
I am a beginning non-licensed architect so I can discuss this in general way but my first suggestion would be to have a local professional contractor, engineer or architect look at your house and to assess the situation. In other words-this is a bit of a shot in the dark and please verify all of this with a local pro.
A crack large enough to see daylight through or to mis-align a door frame could possible be serious problems if they occur on a load bearing wall. Cracks in a foundation can occur when parts of the foundation settle at different rates. This can be brought on by soil conditions. Generally, a foundation is designed for the specific soil condition, but if not then what you have described can occur. Many old houses do not have foundations that are adequately designed for their soil condition.
Have you started to notice any new cracks in the interior of the house? If so, they may be further indicators of differential settlement which could indicate poor foundation design or changing soil conditions.
I am a beginning non-licensed architect so I can discuss this in general way but my first suggestion would be to have a local professional contractor, engineer or architect look at your house and to assess the situation. In other words-this is a bit of a shot in the dark and please verify all of this with a local pro.
A crack large enough to see daylight through or to mis-align a door frame could possible be serious problems if they occur on a load bearing wall. Cracks in a foundation can occur when parts of the foundation settle at different rates. This can be brought on by soil conditions. Generally, a foundation is designed for the specific soil condition, but if not then what you have described can occur. Many old houses do not have foundations that are adequately designed for their soil condition.
Have you started to notice any new cracks in the interior of the house? If so, they may be further indicators of differential settlement which could indicate poor foundation design or changing soil conditions.
#5
12-02-02, 02:55 PM
nothing inside...
I have not noticed anything new on the interior of the house walls. There is one that we noticed when we bought the house on the inside by the front door, that is where two sheets of wall board/sheet rock come together. I have tried patching it to no avail, but i imagine that since the house passed inspection there was nothing structurally wrong at that time.
As I said, we had the drought, the whole yard cracked like nothing i have ever seen before and we're on a steep slope, then we had about 3 weeks of rain so I guess the soil stability has been put to the test. The soil is very much clay here so I guess that has alot to do with it also.
"Let's pretend" that I had to have a professional fix this... What are they going to do? Will the repairs be in vane if there's more soil problems? I would hate to invest big $$ and then have to do this again in 5 yrs.
As I said, we had the drought, the whole yard cracked like nothing i have ever seen before and we're on a steep slope, then we had about 3 weeks of rain so I guess the soil stability has been put to the test. The soil is very much clay here so I guess that has alot to do with it also.
"Let's pretend" that I had to have a professional fix this... What are they going to do? Will the repairs be in vane if there's more soil problems? I would hate to invest big $$ and then have to do this again in 5 yrs.
#6
12-02-02, 03:28 PM
I'm not sure what a professional would recommend doing, maybe they would say the foundation has moved as much as it is going to, maybe not. If necessary, they may recommend strengthening the footing, which is the part of the foundation below the ground, so it can be strong enough to stay in one piece if the soil expands or contracts beneath and around it. If your house is part of a larger development, maybe some neighbors have had similar problems and they can share their solutions and so on. If the problem is caused by heavy rain getting water under the foundation, improving the drainage around your house may be less expensive than doing foundation work. Drainage work could be building a french drain or swale in the land above your house, which would help drain water coming downhill towards your house around it.
I hope this helped-Again I would suggest talking to a local contractor, engineer or architect who is familiar with houses and the soil they are built on in your neck of the woods. Maybe it's common there and it's not a big deal, then again maybe it is. In my state, the real estate disclosures state whether or not the house is on very expansive soil, so it may be a good idea to look for that document.
I hope this helped-Again I would suggest talking to a local contractor, engineer or architect who is familiar with houses and the soil they are built on in your neck of the woods. Maybe it's common there and it's not a big deal, then again maybe it is. In my state, the real estate disclosures state whether or not the house is on very expansive soil, so it may be a good idea to look for that document.
#7
12-02-02, 04:20 PM
Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: United States
Posts: 4,455
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
TraceyB,
What Mr. Bulb suggested may be an issue. In a concrete block or brick foundation, the direction of the crack will tell the source of the problem and the type of concrete repair to perform.. If you’ve seen horizontal cracks along the middle of the wall, or a stairstep crack following the mortar joints, your walls are susceptible to lateral pressure. When the ground around your foundation is wet it expands. When it is dry it shrinks back down. This back and forth pressure will cause cracking and bowing in the wall. This is a serious sign of movement in the foundation.
Another sign of needed concrete repairs are vertical cracks in a block or brick foundation wall. This is usually a sign of settlement. Unstable soil conditions can cause your home to sink down into the ground causing stress on many areas, including your basement walls. With this problem, you may also notice doors or windows that are hard to close, cracks in drywall, and/or cracks in the outside facing of your home.
The recommended first step for concrete repairs is to have a certified concrete repair contractor examine the situation. Obtaining a professional opinion on the causes, costs and available solutions is the best advice that I can give. Normally, there are guarantees given from reputable contractors.
Hope this helps!
What Mr. Bulb suggested may be an issue. In a concrete block or brick foundation, the direction of the crack will tell the source of the problem and the type of concrete repair to perform.. If you’ve seen horizontal cracks along the middle of the wall, or a stairstep crack following the mortar joints, your walls are susceptible to lateral pressure. When the ground around your foundation is wet it expands. When it is dry it shrinks back down. This back and forth pressure will cause cracking and bowing in the wall. This is a serious sign of movement in the foundation.
Another sign of needed concrete repairs are vertical cracks in a block or brick foundation wall. This is usually a sign of settlement. Unstable soil conditions can cause your home to sink down into the ground causing stress on many areas, including your basement walls. With this problem, you may also notice doors or windows that are hard to close, cracks in drywall, and/or cracks in the outside facing of your home.
The recommended first step for concrete repairs is to have a certified concrete repair contractor examine the situation. Obtaining a professional opinion on the causes, costs and available solutions is the best advice that I can give. Normally, there are guarantees given from reputable contractors.
Hope this helps!
