Basement Floor Cracks Dangerous or Not? - Boston

Joseph Coupal - Friday, December 06, 2013

Many homeowners see “hairline” cracks on the walls around their homes. They may also see cracks in their foundation walls in the basement and in the basement floor. Should they be worried?

All basement cracks should be looked at by a professional. Basement wall cracks are common and typically, hairline cracks are normal. If a home had doors or windows it would be less prone to stress. However, every time you provide a window or door opening, you create a stress area that commonly shows some minor movement.

Basement walls and floors are made of rigid concrete which has no elasticity. As the outside elements like, ground water and dirt, freeze and thaw basement wall cracks can lengthen and become wider.  In general, approximately 90% of all foundations and basement floors have stress cracks somewhere. If they are not leaking now, they could eventually start. However, pay attention, over the course of years, and weather fluctuations, they could change. Water gets into the cracks, freezes, and opens them up more.  Leaving a crack open is an invitation for termites, water, mold growth, water vapors, and radon.  Fixing a crack now will prevent further damage and higher future costs.You can run your fingers over the surface of a foundation crack to see if the movement is two directional, which would indicate more severe outside pressure.

In walls, diagonal cracks are considered more stressful than vertical cracks.

If you can get a nickel into a wall or floor crack, it is too wide. The bottom line is that some cracks are normal, but others can be an indication of more serious problems. Monitor them. If they get larger, then you may need to investigate them.

To have your foundation and wall cracks looked at by a specialist, contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair.

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A-1 Foundation Crack Repair, Inc. is a fully registered home improvement contractor. Contact us today to talk to a knowledgeable, master waterproofing professional.

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Call Us Today at 866-929-3171

A-1 Foundation Crack Repair, Inc. is a fully registered home improvement contractor. Contact us today to talk to a knowledgeable, master waterproofing professional.