Foundation-Level Signs
The foundation itself shows the clearest evidence of settlement.
Diagonal Cracks
My uncle's basement had diagonal cracks running from near the settling corner outward. The cracks pointed like arrows toward the problem area.
Diagonal cracks indicate differential movement. One part dropped while another stayed put. The wall cracked along the stress line between them. Multiple diagonal cracks pointing toward the same corner is a clear settlement pattern.
Stair-Step Cracks
In block walls or brick, settlement causes stair-step cracks along mortar joints. The crack follows the path of least resistance through the masonry. You can literally trace the settlement with your finger along the stepped line.
Gap Under the Sill Plate
In my uncle's house, you could see a gap between the foundation wall and the wood sill plate on the settling side. The wall had dropped away from the framing. You could stick a pencil in the gap.
If you can see daylight or feel a gap between foundation and framing, significant settlement has occurred.
Tilted Walls
Settlement can cause foundation walls to tilt as one side drops. My uncle's corner wall was out of plumb by almost 2 inches over its height. The level told the story clearly.
Interior Symptoms
Settlement often shows up upstairs before you notice it in the basement.
Sticking Doors
My uncle trimmed his doors multiple times over the years. Cut an inch off the bottom, they'd work for a while, then start sticking again. He blamed the house being old.
The doors stuck because the frames were racking. The foundation below them was moving. He was treating a symptom while ignoring the cause. Every time he trimmed a door, the settlement continued.
Window Problems
Windows on the settling side stopped opening smoothly. Gaps appeared around the frames. My aunt complained about drafts for years.
The pattern matters. Problems concentrated on one side or corner suggest settlement in that area.
Drywall Cracks
Diagonal cracks in drywall at door and window corners. The cracks followed the settling corner upward through the house. The main floor had cracks. Even the upstairs had some cracks, all tracing back to the foundation movement below.
Sloping Floors
My cousins used to race marbles across my uncle's kitchen floor when they were kids. The marbles always went the same direction. Toward the settling corner. Everyone thought it was funny. It was actually the house telling them something was wrong.
New slope or increasing slope indicates ongoing settlement. Constant slope might be historic and stable.
Wall-Ceiling Gaps
Gaps between walls and ceiling. Crown molding pulling away. These indicate different parts of the house moving relative to each other. My uncle's settling corner created gaps that opened up over the years.
Exterior Signs
The outside of the house shows settlement evidence too.
Brick and Stucco Cracks
Exterior cracks often correlate with foundation cracks below. My uncle's brick veneer had stair-step cracks that aligned with the basement crack pattern. The settlement was visible from the street if you knew what to look for.
Separation at Joints
Where different parts of the house meet, like the main house and an addition, differential settlement shows as gaps. My uncle's garage pulled slightly away from the house. Different footings settling at different rates.
Chimney Separation
Chimneys often settle differently from the main house because they have separate, smaller footings. A chimney pulling away from the house is classic differential settlement.
Tilting Porches
My uncle's front porch tilted toward the settling corner of the house. Connected to the same problem. The whole area was sinking while the rest of the house stayed put.
Patterns That Tell the Story
Individual symptoms can have many causes. Patterns point to settlement.
Corner Settlement
My uncle's problem was concentrated at one corner. Different soil under that corner, probably. Fill that never compacted properly. The pattern was all-corner-all-the-time.
If everything points to one corner, that corner is likely settling more than the rest.
Perimeter Settlement
When edges settle more than the center, it's often moisture-related. The perimeter soil experiences more wet-dry cycles. My Texas friend sees this pattern from expansive clay.
Addition Settlement
Additions often settle differently because they have newer footings on potentially different soil. The junction between old and new is where you see the problems. My uncle's garage was actually an addition from the 1970s. It settled differently than the original house.
Uniform Settlement
If the whole house settles uniformly, you might not see obvious symptoms. The house just sits a little lower. No differential means no cracking or racking. Uniform settlement is rarely a problem.
Assessing Severity
Not all settlement requires immediate action.
Historic vs. Active
Settlement that happened years ago and has stabilized is history. The cracks remain but nothing's changing. Monitor to confirm stability.
My uncle's settlement was active for 15 years. The door trimming proved it. Each year a little worse. That's the dangerous kind.
Monitoring for Change
Track symptoms over time. Mark cracks, note door behavior, photograph gaps. If nothing changes over a year or two, settlement is probably complete. If things get worse, it's ongoing.
My uncle never tracked anything. He just kept making adjustments and convincing himself it was normal.
Amount of Settlement
A quarter inch of differential settlement might not cause problems. An inch or more typically shows up throughout the house. My uncle's 3 inches was catastrophic. You could feel the floor slope walking across the room.
When to Get Help
Multiple settlement indicators concentrated in one area. Visible structural damage. Worsening symptoms over time. Any of these warrant professional evaluation.
A structural engineer could have told my uncle what was happening 10 years before he finally called. The earlier you know, the cheaper the fix.