APHI - The Real Estate Professional

Water and Its Effect on Homes
A Brief Overview by Rod Swank

Almost all homes have foundation cracks of some kind. Water can be a slow, silent, destructive force. Damage by water can manifest in several ways and can be seen in three types of cracks that appear in foundation walls. A knowledgeable inspector can explain the differences in the cracks and suggest remedies, if necessary, often calming a disappointed homebuyer.

TYPE #1
The first type of crack is the least severe and most common type. This crack is called the shrinkage crack. It will crack a wall from top to bottom, range in width from hairline to an eighth of an inch; it will normally be uniform in width and usually vertical. This crack is caused by the indifference of the crew at the time of pouring the walls. If the concrete mix is not stiff enough at the time of the pour the shrinkage crack will appear shortly after the concrete sets up. The concrete batch company knows the proper portions in the concrete mix and delivers it that way to the job site. It is the form crew leader who is the guilty party in this story of the shrinkage crack. Most crew leaders will ask the concrete truck driver to add extra water to the batch just before the pour because this will make the concrete easier to work with. It is this extra water that causes the shrinkage crack as the water evaporates and the concrete begins to cure. Shrinkage cracks are not a structural issue and are merely cosmetic unless there are moisture stains present; then they can cause a wet basement.

TYPE #2
The next type of crack is called the settling crack. It normally cracks a wall from top to bottom in diagonal fashion. The severity of this type of crack can be detected by the width of the crack (wider at the top) and the deflection of the wall on either side of the crack. Water plays a significant role in the development of this crack as it finds a path from the grade to the foundation footings causing them to either settle or heave. The careless homeowner is often the culprit. Cleaning of gutters and the arrangement of down spouts to insure the flow of water away from the house are essential to preventing this type of crack from occurring. Settling cracks are less frequent than the shrinkage crack and most of the time are not a structural issue although can be if width and deflection are severe enough.

TYPE #3
The final type of crack is the horizontal crack. It, like the others, is caused by water. Much more water is needed to form this type of crack as well as a good hard freeze at the right time. Horizontal cracks, true to their name, crack a wall from end to end and normally are accompanied with a bow in the wall. Most of the time these cracks posse a structural concern and will turn a dream home into a nightmare house to sell. The careless homeowner is once again the one to blame; although, soil conditions and freezing are needed companions. Downspout and gutter reliance as well as grading must be reliable to prevent a horizontal crack from destroying a homeowner's life-long investment.

Fixes are available for all types of cracks. Some repairs are more expensive than others. The cheapest fix for any crack is to prevent the crack from occurring in the first place by carefully examining how rainwater is effecting the home. By doing this, a homeowner can insure that their investment of a lifetime will remain a dream home and not become a nightmare.