Cinder block cracks?

[Dale Young]

Did an inspection the other day on a lakefront house with cinder block siding. Had cracks in the mortar (sealed). Mortar cracks in siding, did not appear to be structual issue? Any additional comments would be appreciated. Thanks

[Jeffrey R. Jonas]

Originally Posted by dyoung

Did an inspection the other day on a lakefront house with cinder block siding. Had cracks in the mortar (sealed). Mortar cracks in siding, did not appear to be structual issue? Any additional comments would be appreciated. Thanks

Impossible to give an opinion based on provided information and not being there in person, but...

...when you say "sealed", are you saying 'with caulk or other sealant' or, 'properly repaired with mortar'???

[Linas Dapkus]

Originally Posted by dyoung

Did an inspection the other day on a lakefront house with cinder block siding. Had cracks in the mortar (sealed). Mortar cracks in siding, did not appear to be structual issue? Any additional comments would be appreciated. Thanks

In all your years of inspecting, have you ever seen this before? How did you report it?

[David A. Andersen]

I would call it Structural and Water Damaged.

Pic# 2 The crack at the ground radiates from a step down in the foundation/slab.

Pic# 1 I see water getting in at window openings and exiting the foundation.

What else did we find inside the house?

[Dale Young]

Sealant- silicone; grayish; not mortar; does not appear to be structural issue. no inside cracking or visual cracking; house in fair condition. Used as an condo in past

[David A. Andersen]

We can't say if it is an issue, but we can say it is structural.

And that it requires continued maintenance.

[Dale Young]

monitor for any further issues

[David A. Andersen]

and fix the water intrusion exfiltrating at the foundation.

[Justin Nash]

looking at the corner of the house its 8inch block, not siding. If thats the case then it's likely solid masonry making it a structural problem stemming from the crack in the foundation below.

[Jeffrey R. Jonas]

Originally Posted by dyoung

Sealant- silicone; grayish; not mortar; does not appear to be structural issue. no inside cracking or visual cracking; house in fair condition. Used as an condo in past

Of course it is a structural issue! The wall was not built with silicone caulk was it? A mason needs to remove all "silicone caulking" and the wall repaired properly with mortar and whatever else is deemed necessary by the mason.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Most cracks are "structural". Some are significant, and some are not. Based on pic 2, I would have referred to an engineer. I see 2 horizontal cracks (1 of them very long filled with caulk). I see 3 diagional cracks. Something is going on. Solution could be as simple as as doing better water management (gutters, grading, etc.) 5 cracks in one area is too much for me to be comfortable with.

[Nick Gromicko]

Those aren't cinder blocks BTW.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Those aren't cinder blocks BTW.

Huh?

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-cinder-blocks.htm

[David A. Andersen]

Your so darn picky!!

[ROBERT V. YOUNG]

Lateral forces on the foundation at or below grade or horizontal uplift under the footprint or slab are most likely in my area. 6.5 foot frost zone.
Pour lot slope, clay will do the trick also.
Can not see where you are from Mr. Young.
Area code 601. Mississippi.
Known as serpentine cracking in the CMU masonry bedding. Z shaped masonry bond cracking.
The mortar was re-pointed or caulked.
If it was caulked it is the wrong technique. The caulk will trap RH and excess moisture and further erode the masonry bedding and head joints.
Can it be a structural issue, YES.
JMO