Vertical foundation crack diagnosis:

Foundation cracks and movement are discussed by type and location of foundation cracks, vertical foundation cracks, horizontal cracks, and diagonal foundation cracks, and shrinkage cracking.

This chapter of the "Foundation Crack Bible" discusses in detail the process of recognizing & evaluating vertical foundation cracks and foundation damage. Foundation cracks, which are signs of foundation damage, can mean very different things depending on the material from which a foundation is made, the location, size, and shape of the foundation crack, and other site observations.

Vertical Foundation Crack Causes, Patterns, Repairs

In the photos shown here, substantive cracks appeared and continued to increase in size in this poured concrete foundation used to support a modular home which had recently been completed.

The cracks and foundation movement were probably due to a combination of: poorly prepared foundation footings, blasting on an adjacent building lot to prepare that site for new construction, and possibly omission of steel reinforcement in the poured wall.

The cracks in this building foundation wall were visible shortly after construction as vertical hairline openings (less than 1/16" wide) in the right hand foundation wall, above grade and inside in the basement. Within a year the owner reported several times that the cracks were becoming noticeably wider.

A careful inspection of the building interior suggested that the front foundation wall and portions of the right foundation wall were settling. There were no corresponding cracks in the finished surfaces of the structure, probably because this was very stiffly-framed modular construction.

Notwithstanding the absence of damage upstairs, this was a problem that deserved further evaluation and repairs.

The builder may have repaired the foundation by supporting it from below using one of the methods described

at FOUNDATION REPAIR METHODS.

This settlement crack probably occurred during initial footing settlement. Notice that it is wider at the top than the bottom of the crack.

This suggests that the footing to the left or right of the crack has moved downwards, with further downwards movement as we move further from the crack itself.

If this is new construction and the crack does not change in width the site conditions may have stabilized.

How to Diagnose the significance of types of vertical cracks in foundations

• Vertical foundation cracks in masonry between two structures - differential settlement or thermal movement, often seen where an add-on garage is built on more shallow footings on backfill next to a full foundation.
• Vertical, nearly straight or wandering cracks in poured concrete, generally even width, intermittent, or more often straight - shrinkage / thermal - low risk
• Vertical cracks, straight generally even width, in a masonry block wall, in mortar joints but possibly right through concrete block - shrinkage / thermal - low to modest risk
• Vertical foundation cracks that are straight or stepped in brick, especially near ends of wall - expansion / thermal, potentially dangerous if wall bond courses are broken, collapse risk.
• Vertical cracks in a foundation wall, wider at bottom than top - usually due to settlement under building, occasionally due to frost heave at a point.
  
  These cracks may be less serious than horizontal when found in a masonry block wall. These cracks could be quite serious when found in a brick wall, especially if bond courses are broken and there is risk of collapse.
• Vertical cracks in a foundation wall, uniform in width, one side of crack/wall higher than the other: differential settlement in footings, possibly a serious defect; this crack may have the same cause as the tapered crack above but suggests that the footing has both broken and settled straight down at one side of the crack

The vertical crack in a masonry block wall shown in our photograph is discussed

at VERTICAL CRACKS in BLOCK WALLS

Multiple vertical cracks in building foundations

Vertical foundation cracks often appear in multiples multiple cracks in one or more area.

While a vertical foundation crack could be serious depending on its cause and on the type of foundation in which it appears (stone, brick, masonry block, concrete), these are often the least threat to the building.

If there is significant vertical dislocation or signs of ongoing movement, further investigation is more urgent. If the cause is shrinkage (concrete, masonry block) it is probably less of a concern than if due to settlement.

A vertical crack due to earth loading or frost would be unusual except when the whole wall leans in and cracks occur (usually) near an inside foundation corner such as shown in our photo below

 

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2023-08-16 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Violet,

The home has been there for more than eight decades without falling-down. In my OPINION no one should "walk away" from a home and neighborhood that they like because they see a crack. Rather it needs to be understood and from that we need to know what to expect and what action(s) are needed.

The article above is an important and easy read that I recommend for you addresses vertical foundation cracks like the one in your photo:

PLEASE POST your further photos, questions, inspector's comments, etc. here as it's the best way to get help on the topic of vertical foundation cracks.

You'll see that from your photo we can say that the crack is "significant" (more than hairline in width), that if it is the only crack and movement, and considering the building age,

- it may not represent a "dangerous" condition at all

- really you need to look at the entire building and foundation, in this case from inside the crawl space as well - no one with any experience and sense would diagnose the building from a single photo

- the key steps are to evaluate the effect of the crack on the structure, its age and history, its cause, and thus its future behavior.

A clue is that downspout extension. If the home is in a wet/freezing climate someone may think that spilling water around the foundation was a contributor to the foundation movement.

On 2023-08-16 by Violet

How dangerous is this? They've been filled in but last prospective buyer walked away. I really like the home. It's on a crawlspace, built in 1939, 809 sq ft. Thanks so much!

This reader's Q&A were originally posted at HOW TO CONTACT InspectApedia.com 

On 2022-02-14 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - do I need an onsite inspection of foundation cracks

@Anonymous,

Those look like foundation or footing settlement cracks - worth having an onsite inspection to evaluate impact on structure and probable cause.

On 2022-02-14 by Moe

Hi,
We recently bought a 2009 end-unit townhouse. Few vertical cracks just appeared on my garage inside wall (shared wall with my neighbor's garage). One of them, crack can fit a dime in the top of the crack. The crack's top is wider than it's bottom. There are 2 other hairline cracks on the same wall (3 in total) and 2 hairline cracks on the parallel wall of the garage .

In addition, my basement concrete had also shown multi direction cracks where I can fit a dime as well . Please advise. thank you

...

On 2021-09-17 by inspectapedia.com.moderator - roof rafter separation needs further investigation and repair

@Ash,

This is a very thin hairline crack, discontinuous, with no sign of lateral dislocation; I'm not sure from your photo if the crack extends further down the foundation wall or not. It's not enough movement to have measurably disturbed building framing or other components.

That type wandering, dis-continuous hairline crack in the foundation most-likely occurred shortly after original construction, perhaps from the combined forces of footing settlement and concrete shrinkage that occurred then. Notice that the crack is both wandering and discontinuous near the top, close to a form mark? If concrete "breaks" due to settlement later after it has hardened, it will never produce a dis-continuous crack.

It would be helpful to know the age of the home; if this home is several years old or older, and there's no sign of ongoing movement elsewhere in the foundation it's certainly not an urgent concern.

Your inspector, in a normal "CYA" report, recommends a licensed design specialist such as a structural or civil engineer who is familiar with residential concrete foundations, their installation, inspection, failure and repair; and of course you're welcome to do that.

OPINON: While none of us is a structural or civil engineer, we are familiar with this type of foundation cracking; if you don't see new signs of movement no repair is needed.

Watch for water entry at such cracks - a separate issue.

The roof rafter separation from the ridge board needs further investigation and repair;

Normal roof forces press "in" towards the ridge, not away from it;

If there are no collar ties and if there are missing ceiling joists, I'd be looking for bending bulging walls = leaning out at wall top; If there's no such evidence then simple repair such as adding some steel connectors or collar ties may be sufficient. Any experienced roof framer can attend this, even a skilled handyman familiar with roof framing.

Despite a modern concrete foundation there are signs that the home itself may be older: do tell.

That's a bit of an odd roof structure; I think I see exposed nails and more than one generation of framing materials. It looks almost as if the roof has been re-framed and then decked with foil faced insulation, presumably over which someone added plywood roof decking. If so this may be an older home with a major re-roof job. Spaced board sheathing was usually used under wood shingles or shakes.

Where is this home and how old is it?

On 2021-09-17 by Ash

Thanks so much for your website!! I was wondering what you think about the two issues in the attached photo - are the foundation cracks and the roof dislocation connected? There is also "larger than normal cracking and/or movement in the concrete floor of the garage".

This is in the home inspection report of a home that I really like, but I'm worried that these point to settlement which seems quite serious?

On 2021-09-14 by inspectapedia.com.moderator

@Jae,

I can not see any cracks in your stucco exterior wall, nor more than a few inches of the wall;

I do see what looks like a multi-strand wire, possibly intended to be an electrical ground connection, sticking up out of the dirt.

Check inside: if you find this wire leading to the electrical panel it's probably intended to connect to a grounding electrode that has not been installed.

On 2021-09-14 by Jae

I am noticing vertical hairline cracks appearing on exterior stucco wall in new construction home. I also see steel wire coming out exposed in the picture. What should the builder do to make sure there isn't material foundation defect?

On 2020-11-28 by danjoefriedman (mod) - additional info needed and tips offered for good inspection practices

I apologize to you for not being able to be more definitive. The problem is you really need, in order to make sense of a foundation crack more data than just a photo of crack. I suggested an article that gives some criteria for assessing the probability that the damage is significant. Were you able to take a look at that?

On 2020-11-28 by Jeremy

Thank you very much for the prompt response. Unfortunately, researching foundation cracks on the internet is similar to researching a headache on the internet--you either simply have a headache, or you have cancer. I have found so much conflicting information about these cracks on the internet that I briefly convinced myself that this crack means half of the house is going to collapse.

But I do appreciate the insight, and I agree that the one photo alone does not provide enough information to give good guidance. However, this is a foreclosure home and unfortunately, no other information is available from the sellers nor their agents.

Either way, I do thank you again for the prompt response and I will be sure to follow up here if we buy the home and get it checked out by a foundation expert, just in case anyone else has a similar issue in the future.

Oops! I forgot one important detail: we did notice some diagonal cracking in drywall in some of the 2nd floor bedrooms, from the corner of door frames out maybe 5-10 inches. Nothing severe, and just hairline cracks, but I did notice them. However, I thought that was just indicative of a nearly 20-year-old home as I have seen that in many homes of this area (Northeast PA) that we've been looking at.

And, those drywall cracks were on the same side of the house as this foundation crack, but we did see some more drywall cracks like this on the opposite end of the home.

On 2020-11-27 by danjoefriedman (mod)

1. Move those concrete blocks to make sure that they're not hiding something interesting

2. Inspect the rest of the foundation for cracks, movement, leaning, bulging, etc.

Those are simply good inspection practices.

3. Discuss this crack with your home inspector who will have examined the whole structure and can often see the presence or discuss the absence of related observations that raise or lower the possible concern

4. Most likely this is a foundation or footing settlement crack like those discussed on this page. What else has moved or been disturbed in the structure or framing? (Probably nothing). Are there other signs of movement in the building? How old is this crack? Is it ongoing movement?

Armed with those simple basics then let's take a look at FOUNDATION DAMAGE SEVERITY for some general guidance;

Nobody can make a completely confident diagnosis of the condition of a building with no more information than what we have so far but I suspect this crack alone, with no other movement signs, is not a show-stopper, and occurs at a rather common location (corner of a window).

On 2020-11-27 by Jeremy

Hi, we are interested in a home that has a vertical/diagonal crack from the corner of a basement window, on a poured foundation. A photo is attached. It appears the crack is larger at the top than the bottom, which I know is typically more serious than just a small hairline crack. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

On 2020-08-06 by Ulanda

Yes, the previous owner inserted the foam in the crack.

On 2020-07-30 - by (mod) -

Ulanda

Is that orange stuff a foam sealant?

Foam may stop or slow water or air leaks but it's not a structural repair;

Your contractor will want to know the cause of wall movement, the extent of wall movement, and whether or not movement is ongoing and so requires repair or reinforcement.

On 2020-07-29 by Ulanda

Also, this crack is along side of the house. It is not near a garage.

The crack is located at the joint of two sides of the foundation. I see that I can only upload one picture. [at a time but as many as I want, one per comment]

On 2020-07-20 by (mod)

Ulanda

I can't see enough from the photo nor do I have enough other information to be confident in a diagnosis or opinion about the foundation crack in your photo.

Vertical cracks don't usually Trenton collapse in a concrete block foundation wall.

But I can't tell for sure in your photo if I'm looking at the center of a wall or a corner where in a broken or bulging concrete block foundation wall is leaning.

The second would be a more serious and more immediate concern.

Please take a look at the article above where we discussed some approaches to evaluating vertical cracks in foundations. You'll see that we need to understand the cause, the extent and location of all of the cracks, and the extent of damage to the structure, before we can have an opinion about what remediation or repair steps are needed.

On 2020-07-20 by Ulanda

Vertical Crack at the corner of a foundation. This is a home for sale that we are thinking about buying as a fixer upper. What is your general assessment just from the picture. It looks like foam was inserted at some point.

On 2020-07-03 - by (mod) -

garage floor shrinkage gap around perimeter

Vic

It looks to me as if you're showing a uniform shrinkage gap around the perimeter of a garage slab - is that right?

If so, it's not a defect as long as the crack only shows shrinkage - that is, as long as the slab has not also settled downwards or tipped.

If, however this is a new gap in an old house, I suspect that there is new settlement under the slab, perhaps due to roof runoff spilling by the building or in-slope grade sending water towards the building.

In that case further investigation is needed before we can have an opinion about what repair is needed.

If I'm supposed to be commenting on the single vertical crack in the wall base or foundation, and if that's new, the same causes need to be investigated.

Whether or not there is a foundation repair needed depends on how much movement has occurred, whether or not the structure is threatened - which I can't see in this photo.

On 2020-07-03 by Vic

Have this garage running through base of my garage wall on one side due to potential settling, the house was built in the 60s.

How serious is this and what would it take to remediate?

Thanks

On 2019-10-11 - by (mod) - repair vertical crack in new concrete foundation now rather than later

It looks like a serious problem of a rotating Foundation footing. I would not proceed with construction before the cause is diagnosed and fixed. Otherwise ongoing movement and damage it causes maybe more-costly to repair later.

On 2019-10-04 by Josh

Looking to buy a house, the driveway is down a decently steep grade.

The concrete is attached to the foundation but flares out to act as a wall blocking the ground above the huge grade.

In your opinion, is it just the wall portion or the foundation that has moved.
The crack is vertical and pretty wide.

This Q&A were posted originally at VERTICAL CRACKS in BLOCK WALLS

On 2018-08-28 7 by (mod) - diagnostic notes on foundation cracks

Michael

No one with any experience and sense would pretend that she could diagnose building structural damage nor assess its extent from a few photos; in my experience 100% of the time that I've gone to a building site under question there was important additional information that wasn't in the initial presentation.

With that caveat given, what I can see in your photos includes:

- two photos of foundation walls from different building areas show vertical cracks through a masonry veneer or foundation - of unknown remaining materials.

- one of those photos shows a crack that's about 1/4" wide or wider, and shows vertical dislocation as well - settlement

- another exterior photo shows drainage by the foundation - you don't give country, city, climate, nor other information, but even in a non-freeze climate spillage by a foundation wall invites settlement and damage.

- an interior photo shows down wards movement of the right hand wall and tearing of the paper cover on what's probably drywall in the corner, consistent with some structural movement

There are too many open questions to reach a conclusion other than that there is the possibility of the need for costly repairs to the building (of unknown age, material, constructions, location, soil conditions, etc).

An on-site expert is needed to find the cause, extent of movement, history of movement, its impact on the structure, and to help determine what additional work is appropriate.

If you must buy such a property without performing due diligence inspections you must allow for the possibility of costly follow-up investigation and repair work. No I cannot give "a number" as we know almost nothing.

On 2018-08-28 by Michael Giuffre

Third picture - interior wall joint in between exterior cracks
IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

Second picture
IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

I am trying to identify the severity of these slab foundation cracks found in a property I am about to purchase.

I’ve attached both exterior and interior pictures that indicate possible settlement but I’m not able to get a foundation expert to the property before due diligence ends. All help is greatly appreciated!
IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2018-07-23 by (mod) -

Don't know, for sure, Hara.

Is this really a solid, poured concrete wall and not a veneer over something else? In the center of your photo where more concrete coating is lost I see a very straight edge that looks - from here, like plywood.

On 2018-07-23 by Hara Totapally

The crack in the attached image is in the concrete wall of a three years old building. Is this normal or points to a structural DEFECT?
IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2018-07-03 by (mod) -

Your photo does not show a slab crack.

Slab is a term used to refer to a flat concrete floor that would be typically found in a basement or as the main floor if a house is built as slab on grade with no basement or crawlspace.

What I do senior photo is a vertical crack in a masonry foundation wall.

I suspect this is a settlement crack but your home inspector, who has seen the entire site and the interior and exterior of the building, should tell you what's going on and whether she thinks this is an ongoing problem, initial settlement, something that needs further attention, or something that does not.

If the home inspector simply pointed out something to you as existing but failed to help you understand the significance of the observation and whether or not it is a safety question or a significant expense question then that inspector has not done their job. A home inspection is not merely an inventory.

It's not uncommon for some settlement to occur in new construction, particularly if the footings that support the foundation were not properly made or were placed on soft soil or poorly compacted fill.

The substantive the questions that I'm sure your home inspector can and should address are at least these:

Has the foundation cracking caused damage to the structure such as pulling apart or separation of structural connections. I would not expect that to be the case from a vertical settlement crack.

Is the movement ongoing or does it appear to be stabilized - unfortunately the newer the construction the more difficult it may be to determine that.

And the home inspector will give you an evaluation of whether or not she thinks further inspection or analysis are truly justified ( as opposed to simply saying at every event "hire an expert" which of course is spending your money to reduce the inspectors risk)

or whether she thinks you should watch for evidence of continued movement.

She may also issue a warning of potential significant costs in the uncommon case that repairs to the supporting foundation or footings are needed.

Are there any repairs that are needed such as sealing to prevent water entry?

On 2018-07-03 by Willy

one more pic from my posting. the house is 3 years old.
IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2018-07-03 by Willy

Hello, I am in the process of buying a house -first time- and my inspection report came back with a few slab cracks. Can you please let me know if these crack should be a concern. I really appreciate your feedback.
IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2018-05-07 by (mod) -

Arnold

Thanks for a good question. Use the Add Image button to add photos to your comments, one at a time.

A foundation engineer will generally say that ANY crack is a "failure" in the foundation.

However depending on size, shape, location, pattern, extent of foundation movement, and importantly - the cause, some cracks often can be ignored.

In the case of your example it's not the crack width (1/16") alone that would allow someone to answer your question with confidence.

What's the age of the cracks? What's the cause? Those tell us what we can expect in the future.

On 2018-05-07 by Arnold

Are vertical and diagonal cracks in foundation walls (all less than 1/16") something that needs to concerned about from a structural perspective? I have pictures I can send to you in word or pdf format.

...

Continue reading at VERTICAL FOUNDATION MOVEMENT REPAIRS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• BLOCK FOUNDATION & WALL DEFECTS - home
• CONCRETE or MASONRY DAMAGE TESTS
• FOUNDATION DAMAGE & REPAIR GUIDE - home
• FOUNDATION DAMAGE SEVERITY
• FOUNDATION FAILURES by MOVEMENT TYPE - home
• FOUNDATION FAILURES by TYPE & MATERIAL - home
• VERTICAL MOVEMENT IN FOUNDATIONS
  • FROST HEAVE / EXPANSIVE SOIL
  • ICE LENSING DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
  • SINKING BUILDINGS
  • VERTICAL CRACKS in BLOCK WALLS
  • VERTICAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  • VERTICAL FOUNDATION MOVEMENT REPAIRS

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