When Cracks Warrant Foundation Repair

Not all foundation cracks are worrisome

Many cracks can be detected in your home's foundation, walls, ceilings, above doors, or along the concrete at any given time. This should not bring homeowner panic yet. As homeowners, it's imperative to understand and determine what cracks are normal wear and tear, and which should be addressed.  Typically, the climate in and around Kansas City can bring an array of weather, from dry, humid, and extremely hot to rainy, snowy, and freezing another month. This can wreak havoc on the soil beneath your home, which directly impacts your home's foundation.

The "normal" non-threatening cracks (typically vertical foundation cracks) around your home are normal and caused from settlement. These are also easy to repair.  The cracks pose no true safety or integrity issues to the foundation. and can easily be sealed with epoxy or polyurethane injections. There are many companies that seal foundation cracks, but you should consider a professional foundation repair company to perform the work. Many foundation repair companies, like PierMagic, will offer free inspections on your home's foundation and crack sealing repairs.  Click here to give them a call and get started on understanding your immediate needs, and what can wait! This article will highlight when cracks warranty foundation repair and knowing what to ask, be prepared for, and understand.

RELATED: What should be expected when hiring a foundation repair company

Vertica cracks are typically not detrimental, but the ones to watch out for are horizontal cracks. Horizontal cracks can represent serious structural damages. According to Angi.com, horizontal cracks can indicate severe structural damage. Freeze-thaw cycles or hydrostatic pressure usually cause these cracks, which happen when water from rain or snow (as it melts) outside pushes against the foundation. Eventually, these cracks can cause walls to buckle and allow water to seep inside. If present in concrete, a professional will likely repair these kinds of cracks by slab jacking. 

From an insured, experienced, and licensed foundation repair company's point of view, once horizontal cracks are noticed in a home, they should be monitored and assessed by a professional. The foundation repair professional typically will come out for a free assessment and determine if the rate of damage is an increasingly dangerous pace. Moderate wall and foundation cracks are typically 0.2” to 0.6” in length. More serious cracks are generally above 0.6” and should warrant immediate attention. The reason horizontal cracks are more worrisome and require foundation repair is that they indicate an excessive amount of water pressure impacting your foundation. Then adding in external factors, like animals, insects, or water, you have an overly weakened foundation. An overly weakened foundation is susceptible to causing further damage to the home's foundation, integrity, and ultimately the safety of the residents within the home.

The cracks within foundation walls that require foundation repairs typically fall into two main categories: vertical settlement, or horizontal wall movement.

Vertical Cracks

• Vertical settlement can happen by the entire home setting as one unit, which is an even settlement and a livable situation. Many houses will settle after construction and homeowners will never even realize it happened. However, vertical settlement that warrants foundation repair is when the house settles as one unit and tips in one direction. It will look like one side of the house is drooping and the other side is rising. This can result in cracks in the walls, doors and windows sticking or jamming up, and large cracks throughout the floors. This type of situation should be addressed by a foundation repair company for an applicable solution. Many will suggest piering to offset the load bearing responsibilities.

Horizontal Cracks

• Horizontal wall movement typically occurs when there is excess moisture that is allowed to sit near the house, swelling the soil below the foundation. This hydraulic pressure can increase over time, as the wall moves inwards and allows for more soil to continue to move. The most common repair is bracing to strength the wall but will need to be evaluated by a foundation repair specialist to ensure this is the most effective solution.

To summarize the content of this post, once cracks are noticed (on your walls, foundations, above your door frames, etc.), contact a professional foundation repair company for a free inspection. They will determine the best solution of repair.

RELATED: Most Effective Way to Repair Foundation Cracks.

If you're in the Kansas City area, reach out to PierMagic today for a free estimate, 816-765-4800, or fill out the below form and we'll reach out!