Foundation Cracks & Home Inspections

Foundation problems are a main focus of attention when performing a home inspection. While most homes do not have any serious or major foundation problems, they can occur and can be very costly to repair.

Let’s start off with the most common topic when dealing with foundations and your home inspection that being the dreaded and awful foundation crack. Ok so most cracks are not that awful or serious, but at least we’ve got your attention now. Most cracks observed during a home inspection are in general, not a big deal. Many people assume that if the foundation has a crack that it is a major problem and they should run for the hills, not true.

All foundations will have cracks to some degree; it’s just part of the nature of the beast. Cracks will develop as the foundation settles and the concrete or mortar joints start to cure and shrink. Sometimes it can take up to a few years for cracks to occur. What matters is whether these cracks show evidence of serious structural movement or deficiency.

In most cases, the cracks observed during a home inspection are superficial and may only need sealing to help prevent them from leakage. These cracks are generally vertical in nature and are less the a few millimetres in width. Cracks like this can generally be sealed from the interior of the home with modern epoxy sealants which have a high success rate and are much less costly and disruptive than having to excavate and perform repairs from the exterior.

During your home inspection you may observe cracks that show differential settlement, rotation or run in a more horizontal fashion, these are signs of trouble. These are the types of cracks where concern is warranted and professionals who deal with foundation repairs should be consulted as repairs may become very costly.

What should you do if cracks are observed during your home inspection? Most likely your home inspector will provide you with advice on how to move forward. In most cases, superficial cracks will require monitoring as they can potentially move and become worse, and sealing of existing cracks should always be performed and maintained to prevent unwanted leakage into the home.  If the crack is more suspicious in nature or shows obvious signs of needing attention, then your home inspector will likely advise you to consult with a foundation repair specialist to further evaluate the problem and perform the necessary repairs.

The vast majority of foundation cracks observed during a home inspection are usually not serious, so try not to panic and overreact.