Horizontal cracks a sign of foundation movement
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/03/2004 (7893 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
QUESTION — My problem started two years ago when I purchased a 30-plus-year-old home. Each spring we have a small leak, 1 to 2 litres of water over spring thaw, in our laundry room. After removing the sheeting and insulation, I’ve discovered two cracks running horizontally across the exposed section of wall. The cracks are 30 centimetres and 1 metre down the wall from the top.
When we purchased the house we had three mature fir trees within 30 feet of this part of the house. I removed the trees but I did not remove the deeper roots. As well, the staircase runs along the leaking portion of wall, making internal repairs difficult.
I thought to dig down along the outside of the wall in order to remove any remaining roots and to repair the crack from the outside.
What I would like to know is: What material should I use to repair the crack from the outside? Should I backfill with something like gravel? Patio stone will be installed over top. Is my fix worthwhile or am I wasting my time and money?
–George Arnt, e-mail
ANSWER — Your question is very timely, as the spring thaw is within sight, and many people may experience similar problems, given the large amount of snow this winter. I think some homeowners who have never had seepage occur may be in for a nasty surprise.
Damp and leaky basements are the most common complaints of homeowners in North America, according to some studies I have read. In your case, the water leakage may be the tip of the iceberg of a deeper foundation issue. Horizontal cracks in foundations are indicative of movement in the foundation wall, and may range in severity from minor to major depending on size and location. Before attempting any repairs, an inspection by an experienced home inspector or licensed structural engineer should be done to determine the severity of the situation.
The former trees may have little to do with the current water seepage, except having absorbed large amounts of water from the soil on that side of the home for many years. That may have contributed to the movement in the foundation wall that caused the cracks, but the roots will have little direct effect on them. Coniferous trees have shallow roots that are not normally strong enough to penetrate a concrete foundation wall. That is much more of an issue with certain types of deciduous trees.
The fact that leakage has been ongoing, even if only once a year, tells me that the cracks are large enough to extend all the way through the foundation wall. The upper crack, approximately 30 cm down from the top of the wall, should be above grade and not be the cause of the seepage. The lower crack, which is approximately half the distance down the wall, is the one of major concern. These are generally the most serious types of cracks, and are indicative of inward foundation movement. This movement is most often due to hydrostatic pressure from the expansive clay soil around the foundation. This soil will expand and contract with changes in moisture level and temperature. This soil pressure will push on the foundation, causing it to bow inward and causing the cracks.
Most modern concrete foundations have enough steel reinforcement embedded in them to resist this movement, or prevent major movement and cracks. In many cases, the foundations will still crack and require remedial action and repairs. The typical repair for foundation cracks and seepage is to excavate along the outside of the wall, patch the cracks, install new waterproofing or membrane, replace and flush the weeping tile, and backfill with drainage stone capped with clay that is sloped away from the foundation. This work is very difficult and labour intensive, due to the digging and backfilling, which has to be done by hand. I don’t recommend that inexperienced homeowners attempt this type of repair.
If the cracks were small vertical ones, isolated and easily accessible from the outside, then self-repair might be an option. In your case the movement in the wall should be professional evaluated and repaired. If there is deflection in the wall around the crack, or buckling, steel bracing may also be required on the interior of the home to prevent further inward movement.
To answer your question, attempting a repair yourself will not be a waste of money, because little material costs are involved, but the physical effort may exact a huge cost. I am quite certain that you are vastly underestimating the effort required to attempt the digging and the danger involved in working in the excavation. The repairs, when done professionally by a reputable foundation contractor, are costly but may be necessary to prevent further deterioration to the foundation wall. The first step is get an unbiased professional opinion from a professional structural engineer, who will determine the severity of the cracks and provide a proper course of remedial action.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the Vice President of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors (www.cahi.mb.ca). Questions can be e-mailed or sent to: Ask The Inspector, P. O. Box 69021, #110-2025 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, Man., R3P 2G9. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358.
trainedeye@iname.com