Normal Settling Usually Looks Like This
- Hairline cracks in a poured basement wall that never get wider
- Thin shrinkage cracks in the basement floor or garage slab
- A few small drywall cracks in a newer home during its first years
Watch them, and seal any crack that lets water in. Otherwise they are rarely a structural concern.
Signs of Foundation Problems, Room by Room
In the basement
- A crack that runs along the length of a wall, often with the wall leaning in
- Stair-step cracks in a block wall that widen over time
- Water at the bottom of the walls after every heavy rain
Upstairs
- Doors that stick, swing open by themselves or stop latching
- Diagonal cracks above doors and windows
- Floors that slope toward one wall, or gaps opening between walls and ceilings
Outside
- Stair-step cracks in brick or limestone veneer
- A chimney, porch or addition pulling away from the house
- A driveway, walk or patio that sank or tilts toward the foundation
Cracks in a Slab Foundation: When to Worry
Thin cracks in a slab are common and usually from shrinkage. Take a closer look when a crack is wide enough to slip a coin into, when one side sits higher than the other, when it keeps widening, or when it lines up with sticking doors and wall cracks above. Those point to the ground moving under the slab.
Old Settlement or Still Moving?
A house that settled long ago and stopped may need only cosmetic repair. A house that is still moving needs the cause fixed. In the Topeka area, wet springs and hot, dry summers can make cracks open and close with the seasons, so a single look can mislead. Mark the ends of each crack with a pencil and the date, measure the width, take a photo with a ruler in it, and check again after the next wet spell and the next dry one.
What to Do Now
- Send roof water away from the house: clean gutters, longer downspouts, soil that slopes away.
- Leave cracks you want inspected unpatched, so the contractor can read them.
- For a wall that leans in or a house that is clearly moving, ask for an inspection soon.
Learn about crack and bowing wall repair, foundation piers and house leveling and mudjacking in Topeka.