Cracks I've Stopped Worrying About
These are the ones I used to panic over. Now I barely notice them during my annual inspections.
Hairline Vertical Cracks
I have three of these. Thin vertical lines running from window corners. Been there since before I bought the house. Haven't changed in five years of monitoring.
The engineer I hired called them "the most boring cracks in the world." Just shrinkage. Every poured foundation has them. I ignore them now.
Cracks at Corners and Openings
The corners of my basement have small cracks where walls meet. The window openings have cracks radiating from the corners. Stress concentration points. The concrete cracked where it was weakest. Normal.
These worried me for a year until Rick explained that if the cracks weren't there, something would actually be wrong. "Concrete has to crack somewhere," he said. "Better at a window corner than in the middle of your wall."
Old Cracks in My Old House
My house was built in 1978. The cracks have obviously been there forever. Multiple layers of paint in some of them. Previous owners didn't worry enough to fix them.
If a crack was going to cause problems, 45 years is plenty of time for problems to show up. Nothing has. The cracks are just part of the house now.
Floor Cracks
My basement floor has maybe eight visible cracks. Some follow the control joints, some go wherever they want. None have heaved. None leak water.
The floor slab is 4 inches thick and not structural. It's basically a fancy dirt cover. Cracks in it don't affect anything important. I ignore them.
Cracks I Keep an Eye On
These aren't emergencies, but they get checked during my annual inspection.
The Diagonal One
I have one diagonal crack running from a window corner toward the top of the wall. Diagonal cracks can indicate settlement. This one's been stable for five years, so I'm not worried. But I measure it every spring.
If it ever started growing, I'd call someone. Diagonal cracks pointing toward a settling corner get worse over time if the settlement is ongoing.
The Wider One
One of my cracks is about 1/8 inch wide. Bigger than the hairlines. Still within the "probably fine" range, but big enough that I track it specifically.
I have pencil marks at both ends, dated. I measure the width at the same spot each year. Five years of identical measurements. It's done moving.
Any New Crack
If I ever find a crack that wasn't there last year, that goes on the watch list immediately. New cracks in established houses mean something caused them. The cause might be benign or might be serious. Monitoring tells you which.
So far, no new cracks. But I check.
Cracks That Would Make Me Call Someone
These are the criteria that trigger a call to a professional. No waiting to see what happens.
Horizontal Cracks
Any horizontal crack gets an immediate phone call. Gary's horizontal crack cost him $8,400. His wall was bowing. The pressure was ongoing.
Horizontal cracks mean something is pushing. Soil pressure, hydrostatic pressure, frost. Doesn't matter what. The wall is being stressed sideways, and that's not supposed to happen.
Anything Over 1/4 Inch
My widest crack is 1/8 inch. If I found one at 1/4 inch or more, I'd want a professional opinion. That's enough movement to suggest something beyond normal shrinkage.
Width isn't everything, but it's a useful threshold. Under 1/4 inch, I monitor. Over 1/4 inch, I call.
Displacement
If one side of a crack is sticking out past the other, that's structural movement. The wall sections have actually shifted relative to each other. That's different from simple separation.
I run my finger across my cracks periodically. Both sides flush. If I ever felt an offset, that's a call.
Growing Cracks
A crack that's visibly bigger this year than last year proves something is still moving. Foundations aren't supposed to keep moving. Ongoing movement means ongoing problems.
This is why I mark and measure. Not because I'm paranoid. Because data proves stability or reveals change.
Patterns
Multiple diagonal cracks all pointing toward the same corner. An X pattern suggesting shear stress. Related cracks that seem to tell a connected story.
One crack in isolation is usually nothing. Multiple cracks forming a pattern suggest something bigger is happening.
Red Flags That Would Scare Me
These would have me on the phone immediately. Not waiting for morning.
Bowing Walls
I sight down my basement walls during inspections. Looking for any curve or bulge. A bowing wall is failing to resist outside pressure. That's serious.
Gary's wall had bowed an inch and a half before he noticed. I check specifically so I'd catch it earlier.
Cracks Over 1/2 Inch
Very wide cracks indicate major movement. Something significant has happened. I've never seen one in person, but if I did, I'd be calling immediately.
Daylight Through Cracks
If you can see outside through a foundation crack, it's gone all the way through and opened wide. That's severe damage. Structural emergency territory.
Doors Suddenly Sticking Throughout House
One sticky door is humidity or minor settling. Multiple doors suddenly sticking at once means the whole frame has shifted. That's foundation movement transmitting through the structure.
If I woke up and multiple doors wouldn't close that worked fine yesterday, I'd be in the basement with a flashlight immediately.
How I Think About Professional Help
Knowing when to call someone is half the battle.
Engineer vs. Contractor
For concerning cracks, I'd start with a structural engineer, not a repair contractor. The engineer has no financial interest in selling me repairs. They'll tell me honestly whether I need anything done.
The $350-500 for an engineer's opinion is cheap compared to either unnecessary worry or unnecessary repairs.
Free Contractor Inspections
Foundation companies offer free inspections. They're useful for getting repair quotes once you know you need repairs. But remember they make money by doing work. Their incentive is to find something to fix.
Get the objective opinion first, then get repair quotes.
Peace of Mind Has Value
I spent $350 to learn my cracks were cosmetic. Some people would say that was a waste. I disagree. I sleep better. I stopped checking the basement every week. The peace of mind was worth every dollar.