Throughout their lifetimes, houses do a lot of shifting and settling. Sometimes this can lead to cracks appearing, which will require crack in foundation repair services to fix. Some of these may be merely cosmetic, cracks that look much worse than they are. These would not require a professional to fix. Other bigger cracks could lead to long-lasting damage if you do not get them repaired by a trained professional. Being able to determine which is which can be hard, and if you make the wrong conclusion, it can lead to even worse long term damage.
The first step a homeowner needs to take when cracks are first noticed is to contact a professional to assess the damage and offer their opinion as to the appropriate course of action. The can also identify the root cause of the cracks and whether this problem can be addressed to prevent further cracking. Crack in foundation repair services professionals can fix any crack regardless of the root cause. Some cracks require more work than others. It is not a good idea to do a self assessment as this is a risky proposition. Trust the professionals.
Shrinkage cracks, as the name implies, start during the drying process of the concrete itself. This is an effect of the concrete drying, are usually vertical cracks, and typically appear as no more than 1/8" wide, and are often internal, not on the outside of the foundation. They actually often show up in the central third of the foundation. For the most part, these cracks are not bearing any significant weight of the home, and are not necessary to be patched by a professional.
Foundations are designed to withstand a tremendous amount of pressure. They are built to withstand the constant weight of the surrounding soil. Occasionally they fail. This can lead to both horizontal and vertical cracks. Of the two horizontal cracks are more worrying. Horizontal cracks are a sign that the overall integrity of the foundation has been compromised and the foundation is falling in. Vertical cracks are less worrying, but they can be indicative of more severe problems.
These vertical cracks are also known as settlement cracks, and they may appear anywhere in the house. In general, it's just a sign that the house is shifting slightly as years go on. This happens with all homes. If it keeps settling, though, and the cracks get bigger, you may have something more serious on hand. It may require a professional to come out several times over multiple months or even years to determine if your cracks are growing though. The bigger it is, the likelier that it's a problem. A very rough rule to remember is that cracks that are small than 1/4" don't need to be worried about. This isn't always the case though, so if you see a crack around this size you're better off calling someone to look at it. If you get it fixed and it cracks again, there are probably deeper issues in the house somewhere too.
Two cracks of two different sizes can mean two different things, so these guidelines are not a 100% effective way of diagnosing if a crack is a problem or not. You always need to keep the option of calling a professional in open. Once it's diagnosed, if it's serious, you need to get crack in foundation repair services started on your home immediately to prevent bigger problems.
Some cracks can allow water to leak into your basement. This can be disastrous. It can damage your possessions, but it can also cause molding that is extremely difficult to remove. Other cracks allow creatures to creep into your home. Initially, these creatures will be annoying insects like termites, ants and roaches, but later, they will be rodents like mice. More intense cracks can actually threaten the integrity of your home's structure. Big cracks can get bigger, and small cracks can grow and meet each other. In either case, they can cause lasting damage that is almost impossible to repair. To avoid this eventuality, it is important to be proactive and hire someone to help you with crack in foundation repair services.
To avoid all of these problems, you need to have a professional help you. They can help you figure out which cracks need to be dealt with. Then, they will give you advice on the best way to deal with them. Finally, they will send a professional to your home. He or she will do all of the crack in foundation repair services for you.
The first step a homeowner needs to take when cracks are first noticed is to contact a professional to assess the damage and offer their opinion as to the appropriate course of action. The can also identify the root cause of the cracks and whether this problem can be addressed to prevent further cracking. Crack in foundation repair services professionals can fix any crack regardless of the root cause. Some cracks require more work than others. It is not a good idea to do a self assessment as this is a risky proposition. Trust the professionals.
Shrinkage cracks, as the name implies, start during the drying process of the concrete itself. This is an effect of the concrete drying, are usually vertical cracks, and typically appear as no more than 1/8" wide, and are often internal, not on the outside of the foundation. They actually often show up in the central third of the foundation. For the most part, these cracks are not bearing any significant weight of the home, and are not necessary to be patched by a professional.
Foundations are designed to withstand a tremendous amount of pressure. They are built to withstand the constant weight of the surrounding soil. Occasionally they fail. This can lead to both horizontal and vertical cracks. Of the two horizontal cracks are more worrying. Horizontal cracks are a sign that the overall integrity of the foundation has been compromised and the foundation is falling in. Vertical cracks are less worrying, but they can be indicative of more severe problems.
These vertical cracks are also known as settlement cracks, and they may appear anywhere in the house. In general, it's just a sign that the house is shifting slightly as years go on. This happens with all homes. If it keeps settling, though, and the cracks get bigger, you may have something more serious on hand. It may require a professional to come out several times over multiple months or even years to determine if your cracks are growing though. The bigger it is, the likelier that it's a problem. A very rough rule to remember is that cracks that are small than 1/4" don't need to be worried about. This isn't always the case though, so if you see a crack around this size you're better off calling someone to look at it. If you get it fixed and it cracks again, there are probably deeper issues in the house somewhere too.
Two cracks of two different sizes can mean two different things, so these guidelines are not a 100% effective way of diagnosing if a crack is a problem or not. You always need to keep the option of calling a professional in open. Once it's diagnosed, if it's serious, you need to get crack in foundation repair services started on your home immediately to prevent bigger problems.
Some cracks can allow water to leak into your basement. This can be disastrous. It can damage your possessions, but it can also cause molding that is extremely difficult to remove. Other cracks allow creatures to creep into your home. Initially, these creatures will be annoying insects like termites, ants and roaches, but later, they will be rodents like mice. More intense cracks can actually threaten the integrity of your home's structure. Big cracks can get bigger, and small cracks can grow and meet each other. In either case, they can cause lasting damage that is almost impossible to repair. To avoid this eventuality, it is important to be proactive and hire someone to help you with crack in foundation repair services.
To avoid all of these problems, you need to have a professional help you. They can help you figure out which cracks need to be dealt with. Then, they will give you advice on the best way to deal with them. Finally, they will send a professional to your home. He or she will do all of the crack in foundation repair services for you.
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