Foundation Cracks and Your Crawl Space Foundation

Some people worry about their foundation cracks because they often seem like they came from nowhere. Is there something you’re doing wrong? Are these foundation cracks just supposed to be there?

These are some of the most common reasons:

• Poor Drainage

Your home needs to have an acceptable drainage system. If you don’t have the right drainage system in place, you’re going to have a difficult time with foundation stability as a whole.

These issues can arise from multiple areas. It’s very common for people to have issues with draining after a large storm, a common occurrence in Florida, and one reason may be how close a downspout is to your foundation. If it’s too close, it can damage your foundation. Proper drainage equals a safe foundation.

• Natural Disasters and Weather

This water damage can come from natural disasters; hurricanes, for example, can cause a significant amount of rain in a very short period. This often leads to flooding as the ground has a difficult time soaking up the water, and the drains may not be designed for that much water.

On the opposite end, drought and lack of moisture can cause your foundation to settle and crack as the soil becomes brittle and weak. Either way, nature can play a role in causing foundation cracks.

• Plumbing Leaks

If you’ve experienced a plumbing leak in the general space of your home, you need to think about whether or not water may have entered your crawl space. This one can be hard to spot in certain scenarios.

If you’re noticing symptoms of a leak such as low water pressure, but you see no clear signs of it in your home, check your crawl space. It could be leaking below your home and causing foundation cracks.

Yes, there are a few prevalent types of foundation cracks that can be identified.

• Stair-Step Cracks (common in exterior walls made of block or brick)
• Horizontal Cracks (also common in brick walls)
• Vertical Cracks (common in both indoor and outdoor walls)
• Hairline Cracks (common in concrete, start small but can grow larger if ignored)

All of these cracks indicate that foundation damage is occurring. While some cracks technically require more immediate solutions than others, you should never wait if you see any of these occurring on your property. Waiting can cause major structural problems for your home.

There are two options when it comes to fixing and preventing foundation cracks.

Firstly, encapsulate your crawl space. This blocks moisture from entering your crawl space. Moisture can lead to the supports being damaged by water. There are other tools that can work in tandem with encapsulation, such as a sump pump or dehumidifier, but encapsulation is an effective first step toward crack prevention.

Second, consider installing our SettleStop IntelliJack™ crawl space support jacks. These metal jacks can fit into any accessible crawl space and support up to 24,000 pounds of pressure. If your crawl space is cracking, you can feel safer knowing that the metal jacks are offering tons of additional support to your home and foundation.

Using both of these tools is an effective way to not only repair foundation cracks but also prevent them permanently.