Concrete Cracking

Cracking can form from the drying shrinkage in concrete block foundation walls. The shrinkage of concrete block walls as they dry in place often results in patterns of cracking similar to that caused by differential settlement, including tapering cracks that widen as they move diagonally upward. These cracks usually form during the building’s first year, and in existing buildings will appear as old cracks and exhibit no further movement. Although such cracks are often mistaken for settlement cracks, shrinkage cracks usually occur in the middle third of the wall and the footer beneath them remains intact. Shrinkage cracking is rarely serious, and in an older building may have been repaired previously. If the wall is unsound, its structural integrity sometimes can be restored by pressure-injecting concrete epoxy grout into the cracks or by adding pilasters. Permission Granted From InterNachi www.nachi.org call now Commander And Chief Home Inspection where 30 plus years experience counts.... www.cacinspections.com A+ rated with the Better Business Bureau