
When It’s Time to Call an Expert Before It’s Too Late
Those cracks in the concrete walls and in your foundation aren’t a big deal, right? Wrong! In fact, ignoring the cracks in your home’s structure can lead to a lot more than expensive foundation repair. They lead to health hazards and other expensive home improvement projects, too.
When is it time to worry about your foundation? Before it’s too late, check out this fast guide on foundations, so you can avoid costly home repairs in the future.
What Causes Cracks in My Foundation, Anyway?
There are several reasons your foundation may crack, but the biggest culprit is the water and soil surrounding your home. While it seems like a simple substance, soil is actually very fickle. It needs to have just the right ratio of soil to water, in order to provide steady ground for your home’s foundation.
When soil shifts around your house dramatically or constantly, you’re going to see cracks in your foundation that will require serious repair. Here are just a few things that affect soil and cause it to wreak havoc on your home.
Soil Wasn’t Correctly Compacted Before Construction
When you lay a foundation for a house, you need to compact the soil before construction even begins. If soil is compacted correctly, the heavy top of your home will cause the bottom to sink into the ground. This leads to very expensive foundation repairs.
Soil With Clay
Soil that contains a lot of clay is also considered expansive soil. It causes major problems with construction, because it swells immensely when it soaks up water and shrinks the same amount when that water evaporates. The movement from this swelling causes major structural damage to your foundation.
Too Much Water Surrounding Your Home
Hydrostatic pressure from too much water surrounding your home is one of the main reasons your basement leaks. If the pressure isn’t relieved, you’ll need more than basement waterproofing to stop your floors from flooding. In fact, you might even see your walls bow inward as the crack.
Soil Creep
Houses that are built on slopes or a hill develop foundation problems over time, because the soil at the top of a hill pushes down to the bottom, which causes your foundation to move laterally. Soil creep is difficult to contend with and requires an especially experienced foundation repair expert.
Monitoring the water to soil ratio around your house and installing professional systems that remove excess water when there is too much and add water when there is too little are a great way to prevent expensive foundation repairs.
Types of Cracks to Worry About in Your Foundation
Structural foundation cracks are found in poured concrete walls and concrete block foundation walls. You won’t find them in your drywall or plaster, though cracks in these areas can be a sign of issues with your foundation in the future. These are the structural cracks you need to worry about:
- Cracks that go across your ceiling and down the wall
- Cracks that get bigger over time
- Cracks that are wider at one end
- Cracks that are wider than a tenth of an inch
- Cracks that resemble a stair-step pattern in your brickwork
- Horizontal cracks in your foundation
- Large, diagonal cracks
- Several vertical cracks next to each other
If you see any of these cracks in your foundation, seek experienced foundation repair experts for an estimate and inspection. Don’t delay getting your foundation repaired, because the longer you wait, the more expensive the repair will be!
What Happens When You Wait to Repair Your Foundation
When the structural integrity of your house is compromised, it affects much more than your foundation. Check out what you could face if you don’t take the time to maintain or repair your foundation:
Mold and Mildew
How many times have you been in a basement and smelled the off-putting odor of mold and mildew? It’s not because the basement isn’t clean, it’s because the wet solid surrounding your home’s foundation is the perfect place for mold growth. As your foundation cracks, mold and moisture seep through gaps and spread throughout your home.
This can cause serious health issues and needs to be addressed immediately, according to the CDC.
Plumbing Problems
Most homeowners will experience a range of issues with their plumbing when their foundation shifts. That’s because moving soil and foundation crack and separate your pipes and sewer lines. This means you might have to pay for costly foundation and plumbing repairs.
Water Damage
When water enters your home because of a weak and cracked foundation, it’s easy just to notice the cosmetic damage. However, it’s what you don’t see that really matters. Water can permanently damage any wooden elements in your home’s structure and fry electrical wiring. Not only are these expensive to fix, they are very dangerous when left unrepaired.
What’s the Best Way to Avoid a Disaster With My Home’s Foundation?
The good news is that maintaining your foundation is simple. Especially when you combine at-home maintenance, like correctly watering your foundation, and professional installations, like a French drain, to keep the water to soil ratio around your house in perfect balance.
In order to avoid a disaster, the best thing to do is request an inspection from a trustworthy foundation expert. That you’re doing everything you can to keep your house strong and sturdy.

Juan Farr is an avid home blogger, with the goal of helping his readers find inspiration and ideas for their next project. He writes about everything from small design projects to large renovations. His goal is to help people transform their homes into something that reflects who they are.