Question on crack in block wall

[Patrick J. Cloninger]

Did this inspection today on an 8 yr. old home with a crawlspace. At the crawlspace door near the top right corner there is a crack that extends to the top of the block foundation. It has been patched on the inside and does not appear to have cracked again. The crack is less than 1/4 in. wide and I saw no displacement. The only reason I am asking is because the crack went through the center of the block. Opinions?

Also, are screw type posts set in concrete suitable for permanent installation?

[jkogel]

Generally for a 1/4" crack were there is no evidence of recent movement and where it is not at a corner of the building, I would advise monitoring over a lengthy period of time. I would suggest on an 8 year old house that there has been some shrinkage and settling of the footings, which is not abnormal. I'd advise sealing the outside, using the grey mortar-in-a-tube or silicone, not the stuff they used inside.

Also, I would consider screw jacks to be temporary support columns even if they are embedded in the skim coat, and in my area, even if they're set into pier blocks, welded and screwed to the beam, they're still not as permanent and strong as proper columns.

[john bubber]

Most if not all crawls were not waterproofed,damproofed on exterior, you may already know this. And they are backfilled w/same excavated soil.We`ve never seen one crawl waterproofed/damproofed...30 yrs.Again, just so ya know.

Not ideal to have crack(s)...8 yr old house. Crack(s) may have occurred when house built `n backfilled agst, or in months after built/backfilled and soil settled and COMPACTED against-wall. Sometimes this can occur in just 1 area of 1 wall....sometimes just 1 crack,sometimes more, varies. Crack(s) can occur from other things, yeah maybe settling but not much around here, least from what we`ve seen.Usually from lateral soil pressure,roots,when built and backfilled against,use of equipment next to-near wall when built or if Ho had other work done and equipment was used,compaction,footing of porch drops,leans a lil,slabs leaning on wall etc

And you prolly know patching crack(s) on inside doesn`t repair/waterproof same crack on outside. If HO says they`ve seen no movement for years, thats obv. good sign but doesn`t mean same crack,wall won`t get worse, won`t widen or bow in...chtt happens in,over time.

Last pic looks more like step-crack. Seen MANY vertical cracks in center of blocks like in pic`s,doesn`t mean much to me, not from what we`ve seen.Can crack,wall get worse? Sure can. It also can stay exactly as you see it,nobody knows for certain.Almost ALL we`ve seen(vertical and step crack through center of blocks) have NOT had any widening....when THIS was ONLY problem/crack.If there are other-cracks in SAME wall....vertcial,step,horizontal and or wall is bowed in a tad then,its THOSE walls that seem to have further prob`s, wideing,bowing.

Is house being sold, just sold? What, if anything is/did HO-seller state on disclosure? Never leaked/seeped? Obv call it out,maybe state it could indeed leak,widen,bow in...may not. Again, very likely it is not waterproofed/damproofed on exterior.Depending on soil agst wall or possible roots, small/thin cracks can widen,walls can bow in.

Sometimes these crawls have chtt parts of footing(s), some builders cut corners. Some footings,parts of footings may not be wide or deep enough or, soil underneath wasn`t compacted too good or, soil was wet/saturated when they poured footings. Sometimes they backfill w/lots of CHTT,under,along footings,bsmt walls...they sure do.Bricks,blocks,wood,broken roots-branches will settle and can cause pockets of air where water can collect under,along footing,agst wall

Sometimes soil dries out with no rain, can cause problems.

Obv not going to tell you/others what to put on your own inspection sheet but again,would it hurt to give them some/most of the real-possibilities as to why crack occurred and what does happen to some OR what could/might occur in coming months/yrs?

Sure looks like water has been on that bsmt floor at some point.

[Patrick J. Cloninger]

The home is being sold and I did the inspection for the buyer. The crawlspace was damp, but it did not have a heavy amount of moisture. There were no other signs of any problems other than the crack.

[john bubber]

Some pic`s of other cracks,block walls

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailsh...6/t_=122238283

Seller patched and painted walls, still leaks. Thats cuz there are cracks on EXTERIOR walls and other openings above wall,above ground.He poured new concrete along most of 1 wall, still leaks...didn`t FIX da actual problems, the cracks `n other chtt on outside.

Speny money on chtt to pretty it up some and maybe...just maybe actually thought/was told patching-painting and new concrete pitched away from house-wall would solve problems.He was sadly mistaken,misled.

How about this....
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailsh...6/t_=122238283

couple points here...
one, just because ya don`t see a crack on any inside basement wall does NOT at all mean there aren`t any on exterior of wall(s), or....loose-cracked parging.

See pic`s 6,7,8,9 cracks...where water FIRST enters INTO hollow block wall, stays inside cores of blocks as it falls through lower courses and then, most often enters onto basement floor at,along cold joint,cove,where bottom of wall and floor meet..yuppers.

Then see pic`s 10,11 NO visible cracks on INSIDE wall,its the SAME corner!

Next point...got milk?
Pic 1...pvc, pretty sturdy-strong 200 lb guy standing on it, it doesn`t suddenly collapse,flatten out.

Pic 2,3 plastic perforated,slotted drain tile....cheap GARBAGE. See same guy steppin on it, whats happens and...how it`ll stay flat.

Pic 4,5 good old clay tiles. They are thicker,heavier and have proven much more so than any other tile to most often withstand below ground pressures,weight,conditions.Do roots sometimes get in clay tiles and screw em up? Sure, but that can happen to any tiles. Least clay tiles have been tested over many,many years...seen most of em hold up a good old loooong time. We`ve seen 90-95% of these have NO problems that were placed down along footings and, its not WHY-HOW water is getting into/through basement wall...nope.

Thing is, quite a few builders/subs have used, still use THIS perforated drain tile along footings on new/newer homes. More than one manufacturer of this tile says they ...'do not recommend the use of THIS tile at DEPTHS greater than 1.2 meters as it may collapse from weight on backfill.

So, builders/sub contractors using chtt when they shouldn`t be AND....and and....
city inspectors,apparently have been, still are OKAYING this cheap chtt.

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy? lol

There`s an answer fer dat too...got milk?
It`s cheaper, its easier to carry,haul and its faster for them to place this chtt along footings. Thats great for....them. Saves em time,money.
You can pull 100'+ of this plastic tile w/2 fingers.

Is it BEST for the house, for homeowners? Nope.
You see they used to use CLAY.

PVC isn`t cheap either, thats why they don`t use it, time `n M O N E Y!

here, one more.... in particular, see pic`s 7 and 14....same CORNER, inside NO crack
visble, just some efflorescence and, there is alot of water coming onto floor along this,from this corner...where wall and floor meet.Pic 14 is a vertical crack right near corner,must be WATERPROOFED outside to stop/prevent further water,efflorescence etc.
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailsh...6/t_=122238283

You can have these exterior cracks in bsmt walls OR crawl space walls

[john bubber]

Originally Posted by pcloninger

The home is being sold and I did the inspection for the buyer. The crawlspace was damp, but it did not have a heavy amount of moisture. There were no other signs of any problems other than the crack.

Pic 2.. maybe my eyeballs ain`t working so good but,those aren`t water stains on floor?

I`d inform buyer of possibilities in coming months,years in earlier posts, just my 2 cents.