Horizontal Cracks In Concrete Block Walls

Concrete walls containing horizontal cracks are serious issues.

Horizontal cracks in concrete block walls.

Sometimes the soil pressure may shear the first course of concrete block above the basement floor slab and the wall slides inward. Explanations for the diagonal or stair step cracks in concrete blocks or bricks near a corner include at least these factors. Vertical movement is being caused by settlement frost or a sink hole or expansive clay soils under and near the. If the crack is horizontal or runs at a jagged 45 degree angle it might mean there s a more serious problem such as severe foundation shifting or water damage.

Stabilizing a foundation with structural. Like bulging walls horizontal cracks are typically caused by hydrostatic pressure and even if the wall isn t bulging it s time to call in the pros. Horizontal cracks in concrete walls however indicate poor wall designs or pressure buildup behind the wall. Do cracks in walls indicate a structural problem.

This type of movement will have horizontal cracks that may occur near the center of the wall or nearer to the top of the wall. As the water in the slurry evaporates the remaining ingredients cure into a hard monolithic slab. In concrete block foundation walls horizontal cracks are typically caused by the foundation wall being forced and bowed inward under the lateral or inward pressure of the soil. Horizontal if the supports in your walls aren t strong enough to hold up to the weight of concrete you may notice.

We rarely see cast in place concrete foundation walls which have developed a horizontal crack because of lateral or inward soil pressure. The added resistance to movement afforded by the nearby. The process will bring the. Horizontal foundation cracks located in the upper third of a concrete block wall presuming most of the wall is below grade are most likely to have been caused by vehicle loading or in freezing climates by surface and subsurface water combined with frost.

Horizontal cracks in concrete block or cast in place concrete foundation walls are rarely an indication of foundation settlement. Measure the width of cracks with measuring tape. This is usually evident as the basement area may be wet. Vertical vertical cracks in your concrete block tend to appear as your concrete cures.

Unfortunately the curing process causes the concrete to shrink slightly often resulting in hairline cracks. Concrete consists primarily of cement sand gravel and water. The most common cause of horizontal cracks in concrete block foundation walls is excessive unbalanced soil pressure.