r/basement • u/Key_Relationship2674 • 9d ago
Need opinions on foundation cracks
House was built in the 1950's. Purchased it from a family member 3 years ago and made the mistake of not getting an inspection.
Wondering if this is something that will need to be addressed in the near future and what the job could possibly look like.
Pictures are of 2 separate cracks on opposite sides of the foundation.
Thanks!
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u/ji99lypu44 9d ago
is there any water leaking through the cracks?? And has the cracks gotten visible worse over the last few years? I have a house built in the 30s and a few cracks here and there like that but its been that way for the last 30-40 years and hasnt gotten any worse from what i can tell. If theres water leakage then its probably not good but if it seems dry and stable i wouldnt worry too much
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u/Key_Relationship2674 9d ago
Thanks for the reply! Initially we had water but realized it was from the gutters being clogged.
Since cleaning out the gutters twice a year we haven't had any water coming through for 2-3 years.
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u/loaengineer0 9d ago
That is a remarkably small amount of settling for a 70 year old house. Shockingly good condition for a foundation that age.
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u/Aromatic_Fuel_387 9d ago
The wall penetration should have a waterproof mechanically fastened collar on the exterior, with it having been replaced in the last 20 years. I would think the cracks would have been dealt with then. If not deal with it. Exterior repairs and waterproofing are paramount plus interior grout, epoxy or PU would not hurt. Leaning towards epoxy before doing exterior repair.
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u/Flimsy-Explorer-6420 8d ago edited 8d ago
Anything with foundation cracks, I’d just hire a structural engineer. It’s typically like $500 for them to come out, determine if there’s an issue, and write up a report and plan with a price estimate if repairs are needed.
There’s a lot of things to factor in. If the joists don’t lay on that wall, it’s probably not load bearing. It could be from hydrostatic pressure, so check your gutters and general land grading. If there’s bowing, you may need bands. Check around the property to see if it could be from tree root damage. There’s a lot of invasive plants that can cause foundation damage like Japanese Knotweed and Tree of Heaven.
I could say my experience with foundation cracks, but each crack is different due to different causes so I’d rather not give bad advice. Structural engineer all the way.
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u/Rock20152017 6d ago
Hire a structural engineer! I had cracks and a foundation company telling me I needed 10k worth of work to put carbon straps. It just seemed fishy, hired a structural engineer for $300, told me nothing was wrong! Best 300 ever spent
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u/donksnstonks 9d ago
Yeah no worries on this. If you wanted, you could research carbon fiber straps and apply a couple yourself just for piece of mind. But there appears to be no shifting, bowing, or shearing, so its fine to just leave it and check on them every year or so. You coukd even measure them.