My parents had a new house built about 10 years ago. Recently, Mom pointed out to me a crack in the foundation that has been there a while and has leaked occasionally. Before my Dad passed away, he had had the builder look at the cracks, and some attempts were made to seal leaks (including patching where concrete form connectors pierce the concrete).
As you can see, the crack radiates from the bottom of the window frame and heads straight to the floor. This is not a wall that the floor above bears on.
A couple questions for the esteemed BTers:
1. Is this kind of foundation crack normal? Anything to be concerned about?
2. Any suggestions on sealing out water? (I checked outside and grading, downspouts, etc. seem to be doing what they should be doing. Area behind crack is beneath a deck.) Leaks happen a few times a year during heavy rain.
3. Is it reasonable to contact the original builder about this? (He is a good guy who is actively building similar developments in the area. His son lives on the same street as Mom.)
As always, thanks for your thoughts.
-Rick
Replies
1 no, yes 2 water might be least of your worries 3 depends on how long since built. It still might be a good idea to get his oppion.
Oh, I forgot, this crack can indicate a problem with your footers.
Many times when a house has been built new, it will settle over the first winter, that is provided that you are somewhere that there is a winter. That crack looks pretty thin to any more than settling(in my opinion anyways) Why it's leaking into your basement, my only guess is that where there is normally preforated plastic pipe to pick up the rain water in the window wells you may not have it. It should connect to your weepers, it could be to that there is some sort of blockage in your weepers where that crack is and that the water that would normally goes down and around now goes down and in. Maybee drainage put a piece. Take a pic from the outside as well that may help someone here diagnose this better for you.
The crack is probably okay. Your waterproofing is not working so well. Grade outside of that area is probably not flowing away from the house very well. I'd regrade the ground, dig up moms flower bed planted right against the foundation and see how that works.
Then if it's still a problem hire an energetic kid to dig that area up clear down to the footer and you can easily fix the waterproofing, or ask nicely and the original builder will probably send over his lowest paid worker to slather on some more goop.
Of course the crack and water could be very bad sign if the area has crappy soil and a bunch of gravel and a formal drainage system should have been used!
Good luck
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
That does not look like a bad crack.
GOOD exterior water proofin uses a drainage plain sheet or a flexable coating that can withstand minor cracking.
But more common is just a thin sprayon that is will crack with the concerete.
Have the crack sealed with a injectable epoxy or ureathane will most likely fix the leak.
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
1. cracks are common in foundations. If you feel wormanship or wuality of material is questionable you can have it tested, but after ten years, any hope for recourse may be gone.
2. for starters, open up the crack a bit with chisel and hammer. Apply hydrolic cement. This is a bandade, not a fix. There are also crack fillers that can be injected into the crack ..........still just a bandade.
3. The best way to seal it is from the outside with a spray on foundation sealant and platon membrain over top.
4. Make sure there sufficiant weeping tile at the base of the foundation. .....and that is clear and un abstructed .......or crushed. That should do the trick.
Dave
That does not look like a bad crack to me. IMO if there is enough water to find its way through that crack, there is just too much water there period. concrete is not waterproof, foundation coatings around here are called "damproofing" not waterproofing. You need to get the water away from there, either the window wells get too much water and or the grading is wrong or there is no place to absorb excess water. Are there gutters above these window wells? that might help
I agree, good point.
Dave
Interesting the differing opinions there are!
A crack at a window corner or at a jump in a foundation is quite common.
Concrete does 2 things over time.
1. Gets harder (for years)
2. Cracks (guaranteed!)
Floating slabs usually crack at corners too. (your moms floor probably has some cracks starting at corners if you look at it)
As long as the wall is not displaced (moving, bowed, etc) then it is not something I as a builder would warrant from a structural perspective because there is no indication of structural failure.
Regarding the water, find out if the builder used a waterproofing product on the outside or if they used a dampproofing product (tar)
If they used a waterproofing product, it might have had a 10 year warranty. Worth exploring a little.
Otherwise, work the grade on the outside best you can under the deck to push water away and I would get my injection contractor to come in and inject the crack.
His success rate is 96% and warrants his work. A good injection contractor in your area should be able to do the same thing!
I have tried the hydraulic cement and it has never held up so I spend the $250 and have my contractor warrant it!!
Your getting some good advice here , alot of time these cracks start with the backfilling of the foundation walls . If you do clean out the crack and reparge with hydrolic cement. You could also bend some rebar (1/2") in the shape of a staple and bore holes in the wall on both sides of the crack and a trough out for the long part of the "staple" 1 1/2" into the face of wall . the holes depth should be in wall half of thickness of wall , then epoxied in . the skim the whole thing over with hydroliic. Put them one every 3 ' , this whole procedure is fron the inside.
The crack it self isn't anything I would waste any time worrying about. it has probably been there since shortly after the house was built. If you are concerned draw a line perpendicular to the crack exactly 2" long. Come back in a year and remeasure the length of the line. If is greater than 2" after the year then you do have a problem.
The water is a different issue. Indicates a high water table immediately next to the foundation during storms, which indicates it is a storm (lack of storm drainage) related issue.
Could be any number of causes.
Plugged downspouts, broken leader from a downspout,inadequate sized pipe for the volume of of water, plugged/broken foundation drain, local flooding due to run off from deck or roof, ponding caused by surface grade being wrong, inadequate drain rock in that area of foundation.
The only way to know for certain the cause is to start with one item on the list and work your way from the surface towards the footing checking things.
BTW downspouts and roof runoff should never be connected to footing drains. Two separate systems are what is needed.