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STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS

ADVANCED INSPECTION METHODS
AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine
ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID

BARK SIDE DOWN on DECKS, TRIM, STEPS
BASEMENT WATERPROOFING
BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE
BRICK FOUNDATIONS & WALLS
BRICK STRUCTURAL WALL Loose Bulged
Brick Thermal Expansion Cracking
BRICK VENEER WALL Loose, Bulged
BRICK WALL DRAINAGE WEEP HOLES
BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION?
BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE
BUILDING SETTLEMENT

CHIMNEY CHASE Construction & Defects
CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR
COLUMNS & POSTS, DEFECTS
CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS, PRE-CAST
Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes
CRAWL SPACES

DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION
Deck Construction Best Practices
DECK COLLAPSE Case Study
DECK FINISHES COATINGS PRESERVATIVES
DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study
DECKS, ROOFTOP CONSTRUCTION

DEBRIS STAINING on ROOFS
DEFINITIONS of Mobile Home, Doublewide, Modular, Panelized
DEFINITIONS of ENGINEERED WOOD OSB LVL etc
DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS
DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE
DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR SAFEY

EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS
ENGINEERED WOOD Flooring
ENGINEERED WOOD Products

FIRE DAMAGE vs MOLD DAMAGE

FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold
FLOOR, ENGINEERED WOOD & LAMINATES
FLOOR FRAMING & SUBFLOOR for TILE
FLOOR TYPES & DEFECTS
FLOOR TILE ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION
FLOOR TILE HISTORY & INGREDIENTS

FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS
FOOTINGS EXPOSED, Repair Methods

FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS
  How to Measure Foundation Movement
  Example of Measuring Foundation Bulge
FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
FOUNDATION CONTRACTORS, ENGINEERS

FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE
  BRICK FOUNDATIONS & WALLS
  BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION?
  CRAWL SPACES
  EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
  FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
  FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
  FOUNDATION FAILURES by TYPE & MATERIAL
  FOUNDATION FAILURES by MOVEMENT TYPE
  FLOOD DAMAGE TO FOUNDATIONS
  FOUNDATION DEFECTS OF OMISSION
  FOUNDATION CRACK EVALUATION
    CRACK MONITORING Methods
    DIAGONAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
    HORIZONTAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
    SHRINKAGE vs EXPANSION vs SETTLEMENT
    Sinkholes & Building Damage
    Thermal Expansion Cracking of Brick
    VERTICAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS
  FOUNDATION DAMAGE REPORTS
  FOUNDATION DAMAGE SEVERITY
  FOUNDATION INSPECTION STANDARDS
  FOUNDATION MOVEMENT ACTIVE vs. STATIC
  FOUNDATION REPAIR METHODS
  PIER or PILE FOUNDATIONS
  SITE FACTORS AFFECTING FOUNDATIONS
  SLAB CRACK EVALUATION
    Control Joint Cracks in Concrete
    Freezing & Water Damage
    Frost Heave/Expansive Soil Cracks in Slabs
    Settlement Cracks in Slabs
    Settlement Cracks vs. Frost Heaves
    Settlement Cracks vs. Shrinkage Cracks
    Shrinkage Cracks in Slabs
    Shrinkage Cracks Along Foundation Walls
  SLAB CRACK REPAIR
    Control Joint Cracks in Concrete
    Seal Cracks by Polyurethane Foam Injection
    Seal Cracks in Concrete, How To
    Standards for Repair of Cracks in Floors

FOUNDATION FAILURES by TYPE & MATERIAL
  BLOCK FOUNDATION & WALL DEFECTS
  BRICK FOUNDATION & WALL DEFECTS
  BRICK STRUCTURAL WALLS Loose, Bulged
  Brick Thermal Expansion Cracking
  BRICK VENEER WALL Loose, Bulged
  BRICK WALL DRAINAGE WEEP HOLES
  CONCRETE FOUNDATION, WALL, SLAB DEFECTS
    Cold Pour Joints
    Shrinkage Cracks in Concrete
    Holes & Penetrations
    Settlement Cracks
    Form Tie Marks & Leak Points
    Other Concrete Wall or Floor Damage
  CONCRETE PRE-CAST FOUNDATION DEFECTS
  PIER FOUNDATION PROBLEMS
  STONE FOUNDATION DEFECTS
  WOOD FOUNDATION DEFECTS

FOUNDATION FAILURES by MOVEMENT TYPE
  BRICK FOUNDATIONS & WALLS
  BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION?
  BULGED vs. LEANING FOUNDATIONS
  COMBINATIONS OF FOUNDATION MOVEMENT
    Bulge & step cracks
    Earthquake Damage to Foundations
    Flood Damage to Foundations
    Foundation Movement During Collapse
    Other Foundation Step cracks
  HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT IN FOUNDATIONS
    Bulging, Leaning & Sliding Wall
    Horizontal Foundation Creep
    Horizontal Movement & step cracks in brick
    Impact Damage to Foundations
    Thermal Expansion Cracking in Brick
  SETTLEMENT IN FOUNDATIONS
  SHRINKAGE CRACKS in CONCRETE
  VERTICAL MOVEMENT IN FOUNDATIONS
    Diagonal Cracks in Concrete Foundations
    Diagonal Step Cracking in Masonry
    Differential vs. Uniform Settlement Cracks
    Leaning or Tipping Buildings
    Uniform Width vs. Tapered Foundation Cracks
    Vertical Cracks

FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
FOUNDATION INSULATION OPTIONS
FOUNDATION MATERIALS, Age, Types

FOUNDATION REPAIR METHODS
  Bulged foundation Repairs
    Pilasters for Repair of Bulge, Cracks
    Reinforcing Steel I-Beams for Wall Bulge
    Foundation Anchors for Foundation Movement
    Reinforcing Sister Walls for Foundations
    Cables for Repair of Foundations
    Reconstruction of Bulged Cracked Foundations
  Crack Repair Methods
  FOOTINGS EXPOSED, Repair Methods
  Horizontal Movement Repairs
  Seal Cracks by Polyurethane Foam Injection
  Seal Cracks in Concrete, How To
  Shrinkage Crack Repairs
    How to Seal Cracks in Concrete
    Polyurethane Foam Injection
  SLAB CRACK REPAIR
  Vertical Foundation Movement Repairs

FOUNDATION SETTLEMENT
FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING

FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR
FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION
FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES
FRAMING CONNECTORS & JOIST HANGERS
FRAMING FASTENERS, NAILS, SCREWS, & HIDDEN
FRAMING & SUBFLOOR for TILE
FRAMING MATERIALS, Age, Types
FRAMING METAL STUD PERFORMANCE
FRAMING METHODS, Age, Types
FRAMING SIZE & Spacing, Age, Types
FRAMING TABLES, SPANS for DECKS

FRENCH DRAINS
FROST HEAVES, FOUNDATION, SLAB
FRT PLYWOOD

GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION
GLUES ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION
GRADING & SITE WORK, EXTERIOR
GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS

HOUSE PARTS, DEFINITIONS
HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION DETAILS

ICE DAM PREVENTION
I-JOISTS, Wood Roof Floor
INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT

LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE
LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION
LOG HOME GUIDE
LVL Laminated Veneer Lumber, Beams

MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS
MODULAR HOME CONSTRUCTION
MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS

NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE

OSB - Oriented Strand Board

PANELIZED CONSTRUCTION
PLASTER BULGES & PILLOWS
PLASTER, LOOSE FALL HAZARDS
PLYWOOD Roof, Wall, Floor Decks & Sheathing
PORCH CONSTRUCTION & SCREENING
PRE-CUT & KIT HOMES
Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber

RAILINGS, DECK & PORCH
RAILINGS, STAIRWAY
RETAINING WALL DESIGNS, TYPES, DAMAGE
RETAINING WALL GUARD RAILINGS
ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES
ROT, TIMBER FRAME

SEARS KIT HOUSES
SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY
SHEATHING, FIBERBOARD
SHEATHING, Gypsum board
SHEATHING Homasote & Other Board
SHEATHING, OSB
SHEATHING, Plywood
SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS
SIDING, Sheathing Identification - Photo Guide
SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS
SINKING BUILDINGS

SLAB CRACK EVALUATION
  Control Joint Cracks in Concrete
  Freezing & Water Damage
  Frost Heave/Expansive Soil Cracks in Slabs
  Settlement Cracks in Slabs
  Settlement Cracks vs. Frost Heaves
  Settlement Cracks vs. Shrinkage Cracks
  Shrinkage Cracks in Slabs
  Shrinkage Cracks Along Foundation Walls

SLAB CRACK REPAIR
  Control Joint Cracks in Concrete
  Seal Cracks by Polyurethane Foam Injection
  Seal Cracks in Concrete, How To
  Standards for Repair of Cracks in Floors
  Vertical Foundation Movement Repairs

SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
Splits in Structural Wood Beams
STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG
STAINS on BUILDINGS - QUICK GUIDE
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS
STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS
STONE CLEANING METHODS
STONE FOUNDATIONS
STONE VENEER WALLS
STRAW BALE CONSTRUCTION
STRESS SKIN INSULATED PANELS
STUCCO WAll FAILURES DUE TO WEATHER
STUCCO WALL METHODS & INSTALLATION
STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION
STUCCO PAINT FAILURES
SUMP PUMPS GUIDE
SWEATING (CONDENSATION) on PIPES, TANKS

TERMITES, ROT
THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS
THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS
TRUSS UPLIFT, ROOF
TRUSSES, Floor & Roof

VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS
VENTILATION in buildings
VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS in buildings
VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO

WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING
WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS
WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS
WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING
WIND WASHING INSULATION At EAVES
WINDOWS & DOORS, Age, Types

WINTERIZE A BUILDING
WOOD FOUNDATIONS

More Information

Photograph of - cracked  masonry block foundation wall, probably from earth pressur at original construction - notice the wavy mortar. Drop a plumb line to measure total inwards bulging of this block foundation wall. The Foundation Crack Bible - Foundation Cracks, Leans, Bulges, Settlement: Inspecting Foundations for Structural Defects - Detection, Diagnosis, Cause, Repair
InspectAPedia®  -      

  • Visual inspection of foundations
  • Types of foundation damage
  • Extent of foundation damage
  • Concrete foundation cracks, damage
  • Masonry block foundation cracks, damage
  • Stone foundation bulges & movement
  • Photographs of foundation crack patterns
  • Questions & answers on how to evaluate, diagnose, & repair foundation cracks, leans, bulges, movement, damage

This article series describes in detail how to recognize, diagnose & repair various types of foundation failure or damage, such as foundation cracks, masonry foundation crack patterns, and moving, leaning, bulging, or bowing building foundation walls.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.

Types of foundation cracks, crack patterns, differences in the meaning of cracks in different foundation materials, site conditions, building history, and other evidence of building movement and damage are described to assist in recognizing foundation defects and to help the inspector separate cosmetic or low-risk conditions from those likely to be important and potentially costly to repair.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

The photo at page top shows a bowed masonry block foundation wall with horizontal cracking that occurred due to earth loading at the time of construction, probably by vehicles driving too close to the foundation wall shortly after it was constructed. At this website we explain how it is sometimes possible to be confident about the cause of foundation damage which in turn helps assess the risk presented to the building.

Photographs of types of foundation cracks and other foundation damage: we have a large library of photographs which are constantly adding this website. Contact us if you have questions, suggestions, or content contributions for this material. We are pleased to give full citation credit for technical reviewers and content contributions.

Photograph of a bulged, cracked, leaning stone foundation wall. Methods & Procedures for Evaluating Residential Structural Foundation Cracks, Movement, & Condition

This document is for building owners, professional or licensed home inspectors, foundation repair companies, foundation engineers, architects, and other building professionals concerned with residential property masonry foundation failure detection, diagnosis, and repair.

To be used properly, this information must be combined with specific on-site observations at the particular building in order to form a reliable opinion about the condition of that building's foundation. Anyone having concern regarding the structural stability, safety, or damage of a building, foundation or other components, should consult a qualified expert.

The photo above shows a cracked, bulged, leaning stone foundation wall at the edge of an embankment - a condition we discuss further at this website.

Foundation Inspection Objectives

Home inspectors, building code compliance inspectors, and general building contractors are often able to recognize possible foundation or other building problems which may be costly or dangerous, thus requiring the intervention of an expert foundation repair company or foundation design engineer. These early visitors to a building site, most often the home inspector, see a very large number of in-service field conditions leading to building failures.

Foundation inspectors can, without performing any engineering calculations or analysis, learn to recognize signs of important foundation or other structural problems developing well before forensic engineers and foundation experts are asked to design a repair and almost always well before the actual occurrence of a catastrophic building failure.

This breadth of field inspection experience and education, combined with an informed and careful building inspection, provide a valuable first line of defense for building owners and occupants who may be facing previously unrecognized costly or dangerous foundation damage.

  • Foundation inspections are conducted to identify & document potential costly or dangerous conditions. The inspection must consider many factors beyond the obviously visible condition of the foundation, such as attending to site conditions, evidence of the history of building movement, and the type, location, and extent of cracking and movement.

    This data, combined with education and experience, permit a knowledgeable foundation inspector to advise the client about the urgency of foundation repair and the type of repair that may be needed.
  • Accountability: the inspector is accountable for visible portions of the foundation and for recognizing signs of defects. In some circumstances this may include invisible or hard-to-see conditions for which there are nonetheless adequate clues: contextual, historical, or other visible secondary evidence.
  • Action: If appropriate, the inspector may suggest further evaluation/repair including invasive methods such as removing finish materials that cover the foundation, outside excavation, the employment of a foundation engineer, foundation repair company, a test firm to make soil borings, or other investigative measures.
  • Dangers: Since certain masonry structure defects, such as bulged above ground brick masonry walls, can lead to sudden precipitous and catastrophic collapse, dangerous conditions may be present at some properties.

    While there are often hidden conditions which can disguise building conditions, the ability to recognize those potentially urgent or dangerous conditions which can be detected is important in a foundation inspection.

    Note: In-service field conditions refers to the state of repair of a building or its components while the building is in-use. Building construction standards, engineering and architectural design, and building code compliance have traditionally dealt either with advance specifications for a building which is to be constructed, or with the forensic examination of a building or component after it has failed.

    The science and practice of in-se vice building inspections and building conditions provide an important but different base of experience about the way in which buildings and building components fail, the causes of building failures, and the detection of clues indicating that failures are developing.

    In-service building inspections provide an opportunity to detect evidence of developing construction failures which (usually) have not yet reached such dire conditions as to be obvious to the lay person.

    The home inspection profession (contrasted with the "home inspection industry") focuses on in-service field conditions and as such has developed its own unique education, standards, ethics, and practices. Yet it also requires an understanding of design, codes, and building standards as well as traditional failure analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about how to diagnose & repair structural foundation damage or movement or cracks

Question: after a foundation company installed a foundation the back door won't shut correctly and the concrete blocks are cracking all around the house

My mother decided after 3 yrs it was wise to install block foundation. A company installed her foundation with block. then she noticed her back door was shutting correctly and the block all around the house was cracked.

She called this company back and he proceeded to fix it saying his concrete was probably bad and reported it to his insurance. After a couple of weeks after he so called fix it the home has bad cracks again and the door never fixed correctly. I feel there taking advantage of my mothers no knowledge.

Can you help with advise or what is the correct procedure thx.

I apologize correction: kitchen door was NOT shutting correctly..

- Elsa Lopez

Reply:

Elsa, take a look at the types of foundation cracking, causes, repairs, beginning at FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE. With so little information I cannot guess accurately about what went wrong. We'd need a lot of information about what was already there, what problem was being solved, and what work was done.

In other words, before we can begin even thinking about a foundation repair (other than perhaps emergency support in dire cases), we need to know

- the extent of building movement and damage

- the effects of those events on the structure

- the cause(s) of the movement

But in any case I agree that foundation cracking all around a house sounds like a serious mistake that needs to be diagnosed accurately before any further amateur repair work is undertaken.

You might find a foundation expert in our EXPERTS DIRECTORY or among local foundation repair companies or from an engineering firm PROVIDED the engineer actually has personal experience with residential building foundation inspection, diagnsosis, and repair.
Keep us posted.

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers on how to evaluate, diagnose, & repair foundation cracks, leans, bulges, movement, damage

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Technical Reviewers & References

  • InspectAPedia.com® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
  • InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
  • Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
  • Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE

  • Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
  • "Concrete Slab Finishes and the Use of the F-number System", Matthew Stuart, P.E., S.E., F.ASCE, online course at www.pdhonline.org/courses/s130/s130.htm
  • Sal Alfano - Editor, Journal of Light Construction*
  • Thanks to Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for technical critique and some of the foundation inspection photographs cited in these articles
  • Terry Carson - ASHI
  • Mark Cramer - ASHI
  • JD Grewell, ASHI
  • Duncan Hannay - ASHI, P.E. *
  • Bob Klewitz, M.S.C.E., P.E. - ASHI
  • Ken Kruger, P.E., AIA - ASHI
  • Aaron Kuertz aaronk@appliedtechnologies.com, with Applied Technologies regarding polyurethane foam sealant as other foundation crack repair product - 05/30/2007
  • Bob Peterson, Magnum Piering - 800-771-7437 - FL*
  • Arlene Puentes, ASHI, October Home Inspections - (845) 216-7833 - Kingston NY
  • Greg Robi, Magnum Piering - 800-822-7437 - National*
  • Dave Rathbun, P.E. - Geotech Engineering - 904-622-2424 FL*
  • Ed Seaquist, P.E., SIE Assoc. - 301-269-1450 - National
  • Dave Wickersheimer, P.E. R.A. - IL, professor, school of structures division, UIUC - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Architecture. Professor Wickersheimer specializes in structural failure investigation and repair for wood and masonry construction. *
  • *These reviewers have not returned comment 6/95
  • Quality Standards for the Professional Remodeling Industry, National Association of Home Builders Remodelers Council, NAHB Research Foundation, 1987.
  • Quality Standards for the Professional Remodeler, N.U. Ahmed, # Home Builder Pr (February 1991), ISBN-10: 0867183594, ISBN-13: 978-0867183597
  • Superior Walls of America, Ltd, 937 East Earl Road, New Holland, PA 17557, Phone: 1-800-452-9255, Fax: 717-351-9263. Website: http://www.superiorwalls.com/ Technical support:
    Ed Helderman our Codes and Standards Manager. Email: ehelderman@superiorwalls.com or 717-351-9744
    Robert Hare, Director of Technical Operations, rhare@superiorwalls.com, Tel: 717.351.9735
    Thanks to Robert Hare for technical critique & content suggestions for this article - August 2010
  • Superior Walls of America Builder Guideline Booklet MAN 42-9000 booklet, [local copy] web-search 09/01/2010 original source (indirect link): http://www.superiorwalls.com/faq.php?&answers=1&details=53

FOUNDATION DAMAGE SEVERITY - How to Evaluate the Significance or Amount of Foundation Movement when a foundation is leaning, bulging, bowing, or settling

See FOUNDATION DAMAGE SEVERITY for our discussion of how to evaluate and report the severity of building foundation damage. A few examples are provided just below.

  • Historical data is a key observation or data that needs to be collected to assess the significance of any evidence of foundation movement
  • New or sudden foundation movement: If foundation cracking or movement is new, recent, or sudden: serious, prompt action is needed and you should consult an expert, in particular if the amount is more than trivial. Trivial movement would be the discovery of a hairline crack (less than 1/16" in width) or a shrinkage crack in a building foundation wall or floor slab. A word of caution: sometimes a crack has been present for a long time at a building but has simply not been noticed by the building owner or occupants. The first time such a crack is seen it may be mistaken for "new" and "sudden" when that is not the case. See our discussion of SHRINKAGE vs EXPANSION vs SETTLEMENT.
  • Recurrent foundation cracking or movement: action is probably needed since recurrent movement can lead to cumulative damage to some structures even if the amount of movement is not great. In particular, if you have made cosmetic repairs to a foundation or to plaster or drywall finished areas above and supported by such a foundation you may see that the cracks you repaired have simply recurred.
  • Long term, continuing, but slow foundation movement: action may be needed, particularly if the effects of long term foundation movement are cumulative.
  • Initial foundation cracking or other limited damage occurring at time of construction such as foundation cracks in a masonry block wall which occurred during backfill may not need other than cosmetic repairs, in particular if there is no evidence of subsequent foundation movement and still more likely if the initial damage and amount of movement was minor (say less than 1/2" of inwards foundation wall bulge in the cracked areas.)
  • Foundation damage due to being struck: in this case the foundation will certainly need repair if the damage to it was extensive with collapsed or severely dislocated components. Trivial foundation damage, say cracking a masonry block on the corner of a garage with no basement below, is less likely to be significant.
  • Initial foundation settlement may not require additional repair. A hairline to 1/16" vertical crack in a concrete wall or similar dimension step cracking in a masonry block wall may need cosmetic and sealant repair (to reduce leakage through the wall, but if the initial amount of settlement was very small and is not ongoing, repair is unlikely to be needed.

These examples of foundation damage are almost always very important and need expert attention

  • Dislocated gas, plumbing, or electrical wiring or piping: NOTE: ANY foundation damage or crack associated with significant displacement of original structural or mechanical (gas/sewer lines) components is likely to be significant. Even slight displacement is significant if mechanical systems may be unsafe (earthquake). Dislocated gas lines means gas leaks are likely and there is serious damage of catastrophic explosion. Vacate the property, and immediately call the gas company from a telephone that is not exposed to gas fumes.
  • Dislocated or broken structural connections such as a building which has shifted off of its foundation or has broken sill bolts or straps connecting the foundation to the building framing needs expert investigation and repair.
  • Bulging foundation walls in response to area flooding are at risk of collapse; temporary support of the building and other measures to relieve stress on the foundation may be needed. Do not delay in seeking expert advice in this situation.
  • This list is not complete. Suggestions welcomed.

Foundation Inspection Standards - ASHI Standards of Practice (American Society of Home Inspectors)

Please see FOUNDATION INSPECTION STANDARDS

Technical Content Reviewers for Foundation Crack and Movement Damage Evaluation, Diagnosis, & Reporting

  • InspectAPedia.com® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
  • Daniel Friedman - ASHI Member (1986-2006) - building failures researcher.
  • "Concrete Slab Finishes and the Use of the F-number System", Matthew Stuart, P.E., S.E., F.ASCE, online course at www.pdhonline.org/courses/s130/s130.htm
  • Sal Alfano - Editor, Journal of Light Construction*
  • Thanks to Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for technical critique and some of the foundation inspection photographs cited in these articles
  • Terry Carson - ASHI
  • Mark Cramer - ASHI
  • JD Grewell, ASHI
  • Duncan Hannay - ASHI, P.E. *
  • Bob Klewitz, M.S.C.E., P.E. - ASHI
  • Ken Kruger, P.E., AIA - ASHI
  • Aaron Kuertz aaronk@appliedtechnologies.com, with Applied Technologies regarding polyurethane foam sealant as other foundation crack repair product - 05/30/2007
  • Bob Peterson, Magnum Piering - 800-771-7437 - FL*
  • Arlene Puentes, 845-339-7984, is an ASHI member and a licensed home inspector in Kingston, NY, and has served on ASHI national committees as well as HVASHI Chapter President. Ms. Puentes can be contacted at ap@octoberhome.com.
  • Greg Robi, Magnum Piering - 800-822-7437 - National*
  • Dave Rathbun, P.E. - Geotech Engineering - 904-622-2424 FL*
  • Ed Seaquist, P.E., SIE Assoc. - 301-269-1450 - National
  • Dave Wickersheimer, P.E. R.A. - IL, professor, school of structures division, UIUC - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Architecture. Professor Wickersheimer specializes in structural failure investigation and repair for wood and masonry construction. * Mr. Wickersheimer's engineering consulting service can be contacted at HDC Wickersheimer Engineering Services. (3/2010)
  • *These reviewers have not returned comment 6/95

Technical Edits, Changes, Amendments to This Document

  • 09/01/2010 technical edits
  • 09/23/2008 adding crawl space safety warnings and crawl space dyrout procedures
  • 06/09/2010 adding flood damage to foundations - a flood damage investigation case suggests pre-existing cracks
  • 08/03/2007 adding text, illustrations, content, organization changes, citations to authority
  • 06/07/2007 adding text, illustrations, content
  • 5/30/2007 editing to add content on foundation crack repair
  • 9/23/2006 editing to clarify text and add content; Technical review (partial) by Arlene Puentes.
  • 4/17/2006 editing to clarify text in several sections.
  • 2/6/99 editing updates, soliciting additional reviews
  • 2/3/99 Converted working text file to MSWord97 .doc and .htm files for easier review on Internet
  • 6/26/95 text updates per comments from Al Carson, Terry Carson, Mark Cramer 6/16/95 text updates for Calgary July 1995
  • cc's sent to reviewers
  • 3/28/95 uploaded to ASHI's Internet site - asfoun01.txt
  • 11/19/93 Ed Seaquist - telecon 11/19/93, likes, will write up one of our sections for my/our target of series of journal articles or a book.
  • © Dan Friedman 1999, original 1992 All Rights Reserved -- foundation.htm

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

  • Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
  • Home Reference Book - Carson Dunlop The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop. The Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ® editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.
  • Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
  • Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
  • The Journal of Light Construction has generously given reprint permission to InspectAPedia.com for certain articles found at this website. All rights and contents to those materials are ©Journal of Light Construction and may not be reproduced in any form.
  • Appliances and Home Electronics, - energy savings, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Avongard foundation crack progress chart for structural crack monitoring
  • Basement Moisture Control, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Building Failures, Diagnosis & Avoidance, 2d Ed., W.H. Ransom, E.& F. Spon, New York, 1987 ISBN 0-419-14270-3
  • Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF] ISBN-10: 0471331724 ISBN-13: 978-0471331728
  • Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, David Watt, Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 7, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405161035 ISBN-13: 978-1405161039
  • The Circular Staircase, Mary Roberts Rinehart
  • Carmody, John, Labs, Kenneth, Builders Foundation Handbook, University Press of the Pacific, 2005, ISBN-10: 1410220885, ISBN-13: 978-1410220882
  • Construction Drawings and Details, Rosemary Kilmer
  • Crawl Space Moisture Control, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Design of Wood Structures - ASD, Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth Fridley, Kelly Cobeen, David Pollock, McGraw Hill, 2003, ISBN-10: 0071379320, ISBN-13: 978-0071379328
    This book is an update of a long-established text dating from at least 1988 (DJF); Quoting:
    This book is gives a good grasp of seismic design for wood structures. Many of the examples especially near the end are good practice for the California PE Special Seismic Exam design questions. It gives a good grasp of how seismic forces move through a building and how to calculate those forces at various locations. THE CLASSIC TEXT ON WOOD DESIGN UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE LATEST CODES AND DATA. Reflects the most recent provisions of the 2003 International Building Code and 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction. Continuing the sterling standard set by earlier editions, this indispensable reference clearly explains the best wood design techniques for the safe handling of gravity and lateral loads. Carefully revised and updated to include the new 2003 International Building Code, ASCE 7-02 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, the 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction, and the most recent Allowable Stress Design.
  • Diagnosing & Repairing House Structure Problems, Edgar O. Seaquist, McGraw Hill, 1980 ISBN 0-07-056013-7 (obsolete, incomplete, missing most diagnosis steps, but very good reading; out of print but used copies are available at Amazon.com, and reprints are available from some inspection tool suppliers). Ed Seaquist was among the first speakers invited to a series of educational conferences organized by D Friedman for ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors, where the topic of inspecting the in-service condition of building structures was first addressed.
  • Domestic Building Surveys, Andrew R. Williams, Kindle book, Amazon.com
  • Defects and Deterioration in Buildings: A Practical Guide to the Science and Technology of Material Failure, Barry Richardson, Spon Press; 2d Ed (2001), ISBN-10: 041925210X, ISBN-13: 978-0419252108. Quoting:
    A professional reference designed to assist surveyors, engineers, architects and contractors in diagnosing existing problems and avoiding them in new buildings. Fully revised and updated, this edition, in new clearer format, covers developments in building defects, and problems such as sick building syndrome. Well liked for its mixture of theory and practice the new edition will complement Hinks and Cook's student textbook on defects at the practitioner level.
  • Guide to Domestic Building Surveys, Jack Bower, Butterworth Architecture, London, 1988, ISBN 0-408-50000 X
  • "Avoiding Foundation Failures," Robert Marshall, Journal of Light Construction, July, 1996 (Highly recommend this article-DF)
  • "A Foundation for Unstable Soils," Harris Hyman, P.E., Journal of Light Construction, May 1995
  • "Backfilling Basics," Buck Bartley, Journal of Light Construction, October 1994
  • "Inspecting Block Foundations," Donald V. Cohen, P.E., ASHI Reporter, December 1998. This article in turn cites the Fine Homebuilding article noted below.
  • "When Block Foundations go Bad," Fine Homebuilding, June/July 1998
  • Historic Preservation Technology: A Primer, Robert A. Young, Wiley (March 21, 2008) ISBN-10: 0471788368 ISBN-13: 978-0471788362
  • Log Homes: Minimizing Air Leakage in Log Homes, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Manual for the Inspection of Residential Wood Decks and Balconies, by Cheryl Anderson, Frank Woeste (Forest Products Society), & Joseph Loferski, October 2003, ISBN-13: 978-1892529343, $39.00 at Amazon.com or at the InspectAPediaBookstore
  • Masonry structures: The Masonry House, Home Inspection of a Masonry Building & Systems, Stephen Showalter (director, actor), DVD, Quoting:
    Movie Guide Experienced home inspectors and new home inspectors alike are sure to learn invaluable tips in this release designed to take viewers step-by-step through the home inspection process. In addition to being the former president of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), a longstanding member of the NAHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and the Environmental Standard Organization (IESO), host Stephen Showalter has performed over 8000 building inspections - including environmental assessments. Now, the founder of a national home inspection school and inspection training curriculum shares his extensive experience in the inspection industry with everyday viewers looking to learn more about the process of evaluating homes. Topics covered in this release include: evaluation of masonry walls; detection of spalling from rebar failure; inspection of air conditioning systems; grounds and landscaping; electric systems and panel; plumbing supply and distribution; plumbing fixtures; electric furnaces; appliances; evaluation of electric water heaters; and safety techniques. Jason Buchanan --Jason Buchanan, All Movie Review
  • Masonry Design for Engineers and Architects, M. Hatzinikolas, Y. Korany, Canadian Masonry (2005), ISBN-10: 0978006100, ISBN-13: 978-0978006105
  • Masonry Structures: Behavior and Design, Robert G. Drysdale, Ahmid A. Hamid, Lawrie R. Baker, The Masonry Society; 2nd edition (1999), ISBN-10: 1929081014, ISBN-13: 978-1929081011
  • Masonry, Engineered: Using the Canadian Code, J. I. Gainville, Cantext publications (1983), ASIN: B0007C37PG
  • Masonry, Non-reinforced masonry design tables, Hans J. Schultz, National Concrete Producers Association and the Canadian Masonry Contractors Association (1976), ASIN: B0007C2LQM
  • Moisture Control in Buildings, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Moisture Control in Walls, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Quality Standards for the Professional Remodeling Industry, National Association of Home Builders Remodelers Council, NAHB Research Foundation, 1987.
  • Quality Standards for the Professional Remodeler, N.U. Ahmed, # Home Builder Pr (February 1991), ISBN-10: 0867183594, ISBN-13: 978-0867183597
  • R-Value of Wood, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Slab on Grade Foundation Moisture and Air Leakage, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Straw Bale Home Design, U.S. Department of Energy provides information on strawbale home construction - original source at http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/designing_remodeling/index.cfm/mytopic=10350
  • More Straw Bale Building: A Complete Guide to Designing and Building with Straw (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series), Chris Magwood, Peter Mack, New Society Publishers (February 1, 2005), ISBN-10: 0865715181 ISBN-13: 978-0865715189 - Quoting:
    Straw bale houses are easy to build, affordable, super energy efficient, environmentally friendly, attractive, and can be designed to match the builder’s personal space needs, esthetics and budget. Despite mushrooming interest in the technique, however, most straw bale books focus on “selling” the dream of straw bale building, but don’t adequately address the most critical issues faced by bale house builders. Moreover, since many developments in this field are recent, few books are completely up to date with the latest techniques.
    More Straw Bale Building is designed to fill this gap. A completely rewritten edition of the 20,000-copy best--selling original, it leads the potential builder through the entire process of building a bale structure, tackling all the practical issues: finding and choosing bales; developing sound building plans; roofing; electrical, plumbing, and heating systems; building code compliance; and special concerns for builders in northern climates.
  • "Vapor Barriers or Vapor Diffusion Retarders", U.S. DOE: how vapor barriers work, types of vapor diffusion barriers, installing vapor barrier
  • Ventilation for energy efficient buildings, Purpose, Strategies, etc.,
  • ...

Sinkholes and Sudden Land Subsidence References, Products, Consultants

  • "A Hole in the Ground Erupts, to Estonia's Delight", New York Times, 9 December 2008 p. 10.
  • History of water usage in Estonia: (5.7 MB PDF) jaagupi.parnu.ee/freshwater/doc/the_history_of_water_usage_systems_in_estonia.pdf
  • "Quebec Family Dies as Home Vanishes Into Crater, in Reminder of Hidden Menace", Ian Austen, New York Times, 13 May 2010 p. A8. See http://www.nytimes.com/
  • "Quick Clay", Wikipedia search 5/13/2010 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quick_clay
  • Florida DEP - Department of Environmental Protection, & Florida Geological survey (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/default.htm) on Florida sinkholes: Effects of Sinkholes on Water Conditions Hernando County, Florida, Brett Buff, GIS in Water Resources, 2008, Dr. David R. Maidment, Photos - Tom Scott, Florida Geographic Survey - Web Search 06/09/2010 - http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/geologictopics/jacksonsink.htm
    and - http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/geologictopics/sinkhole.htm
    also see
    Lane, Ed, 1986, Karst in Florida: Florida Geological Survey Special Publication 29, 100 p.
  • Foundation Engineering Problems and Hazards in Karst Terranes, James P. Reger, Maryland Geological Survey, web search 06/05/2010, original source: http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/fs/fs11.html
    Maryland Geological Survey, 2300 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
  • "Frost Heaving Forces in Leda Clay", Penner, E., Division of Building Research, National Research Council of Canada, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, NRC Research Press, 1970-2, Vol 7, No 1, PP 8-16, National Research Council of Canada, Accession number 1970-023601, Quoting from original source

The frost heaving forces developed under a 1 ft. (30.5 cm) diameter steel plate were measured in the field throughout one winter. The steel plate was fixed at the ground surface with a rock-anchored reaction frame. heave gauges and thermocouples were installed at various depths to determine the position and temperature of the active heaving zone. The general trend was for the surface force to increase as the winter progressed. when the frost line approached the maximum depth the force was in excess of 30,000 lb (13,608 KG). Estimates of the heaving pressure at the frost line ranged from 7 to 12 psi (0.49 to 0.84 KG/cm) square during this period. The variation of surface heaving force was closely associated with weather conditions. Warming trends resulting in a temperature increase of the frozen layer caused the forces to decline.

  • "Geoscape Ottowa-Gatineau Landslides", Canada Department of Natural Resources, original source http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/ottawa/landslides_e.php - quoting from that source:

    Leda clay slopes in the Ottawa valley are vulnerable to catastrophic landslides. More than 250 landslides, historical and ancient, large and small, have been identified within 60 km of Ottawa. Some of these landslides caused deaths, injuries, and property damage, and their impact extended far beyond the site of the original failure. In spectacular flowslides, the sediment underlying large areas of flat land adjacent to unstable slopes liquefies. The debris may flow up to several kilometres, damming rivers and causing flooding, siltation, and water-quality problems or damaging infrastructure. Geologists and geotechnical engineers can identify potential landslide areas, and appropriate land-use zoning and protective engineering works can reduce the risk to property and people.

    Deposits of Leda clay, a potentially unstable material, underlie extensive areas of the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Leda clay is composed of clay- and silt-sized particles of bedrock that were finely ground by glaciers and washed into the Champlain Sea. As the particles settled through the salty water, they were attracted to one another and formed loose clusters that fell to the seafloor. The resulting sediment had a loose but strong framework that was capable of retaining a large amount of water. Following the retreat of the sea, the salts that originally contributed to the bonding of the particles were slowly removed (leached) by fresh water filtering through the ground. If sufficiently disturbed, the leached Leda clay, a weak but water-rich sediment, may liquefy and become a 'quick clay'. Trigger disturbances include river erosion, increases in pore-water pressure (especially during periods of high rainfall or rapid snowmelt), earthquakes, and human activities such as excavation and construction.

    After an initial failure removes the stiffer, weathered crust, the sensitive clay liquefies and collapses, flowing away from the scar. Failures continue in a domino-like fashion, rapidly eating back into the flat land lying behind the failed slope. The flowing mud may raft intact pieces of the stiffer surface material for great distances.

  • Kochanov, W. E., 1999, Sinkholes in Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania
    Geological Survey, 4th ser., Educational Series 11, 33 p., 3rd printing April 2005, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources / Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey, DCNR Educational Series 11, Pennsylvania Geological Survey, Fourth Series, Harrisburg,
    1999 - web search 06/05/2010, original source: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/hazards/es11.pdf - Quoting from the document introduction:
    The first 18 pages of this booklet contain an explanation of how sinkholes develop. In order to tell the sinkhole story, it is important to discuss a number of related geologic disciplines. The words used to describe sinkholes and these disciplines may be a bit unfamiliar. However, general explanations are given throughout the booklet to help clarify their meanings. Key words are printed in bold type for emphasis. The more important ones are defined in a Glossary that begins on page 29. The remaining sections, starting with “Sinkholes in the Urban Environment” (page 18), deal with sinkholes and their impact on our environment. This includes recognition of subsidence features and sinkhole repair.
  • [1] Sarah Cervone, [web page] data from the APIRS database, Graphics by Ann Murray, Sara Reinhart and Vic Ramey, Vic Ramey is the editor. DEP review by Jeff Schardt and Judy Ludlow. The web page is a collaboration of the Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida, and the Bureau of Invasive Plant Management, Florida Department of Environmental Protection contact: varamey@nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu [A primary resource for this article
  • [2] Center for Cave and Karst Studies or the Kentucky Climate Center, both at Western Kentucky University
  • Vanity Fair - web search 06/04/2010 http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/06/what-caused-the-guatemala-sinkhole-and-why-is-it-so-round.html
  • Sinkholes, Virginia Division of Mineral Resources,
  • Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, www.dmme.virginia.gov Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy Division of Mineral Resources 900 Natural Resources Drive, Suite 500 Charlottesville, VA 22903 Sales Office: (434) 951-6341 FAX : (434) 951-6365 Geologic Information: (434) 951-6342 http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/ divisionmineralresources.shtml - Web search 06/09/2010

Sink Hole & Related Engineering References

  • Newton, J. G., 1987, Development of sinkholes resulting from man's activities in the eastern United States: US Geological Survey Circular 968, 54 p.
  • Sinclair, W. C., 1982, Sinkhole development resulting from ground-water withdrawal in the Tampa Area, Florida: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 81-50, 19 p.
  • White, W. B., 1988, Geomorphology and Hydrology of Karst Terrains: Oxford University Press, New York, 464 p.
  • Williams, J. H. and Vineyard, J. D., 1976, Geologic indicators of subsidence and collapse in karst terrain in Missouri: Presentation at the 55th Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.
  • Barry F. Beck, A. J. (1999). Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology of Sinkholes and Karst. Rotterdam, Netherlands: A. A. Balkema.
  • Beck, B. F. (2003). Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst. Huntsville, Alabama: The American Society of Civil Engineers.
  • Beck, B. F. (2005). Sinkholes and the Engineering and Envrionmental Impacts of Karst. San Antonio, Texas: The American Society of Civil Engineers.
  • Tony Waltham, F. B. (2005). Sinkholes and Subsidence, Karst and Cavernous Rocks in Engineering and Construction. Chichester, United Kingdom: Praxis Publishing.
  • Whitman D., G. T. (1999). Spatial Interrelationships Between Lake Elevations, Water Tables, and Sinkhole Occurence in Central Florida: A GIS Approach. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing , 1169-1178.
  • Cited References from this article:
  • #3. Detecting Sinkholes with Geophysics, Enviroscan, Inc., Lancaster PA 717-396-8922 email@enviroscan.com www.enviroscan.com 2003
  • Sinkholes in Guatemala, Guatemala City, Wikipedia - web search 06/04/2010 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatemala_City

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