If you’ve ever noticed a crack in your concrete slabs, the chances are that there was a common cause. It’s easy to ignore thousand of tiny cracks when there is only one big one to look at. If cracks are not fixed, then they tend to grow larger. Following are some of the most common reasons why these cracks happen and what you can do about them:
What Causes Concrete Foundation Cracks?
There are many different causes of concrete slab foundation cracks. However, the most common are rain damage and inadequate footings.
Rain damage is the cause of most concrete slab foundation cracks. When water gains access to the foundation, it can cause it to expand. This expansion can result in cracks in the concrete due to structural failure or settlement. If the crack is large enough, water can enter and cause Foundation Wall to rot or disband.
Inadequate footings are also a common cause of concrete slab foundation cracks. Footings should be at least 10 feet deep and consist of a solid rock base with a pouredcrete or masonry cap. Water can seep under the footing if footings are not properly constructed and cause foundation cracking.
Most Common Causes of Foundation Cracks
The most common causes of foundation cracks are as follows:
- Failed basement wall shearwall
- Failed membrane isolation
- Poor ground conditions around the home
- Settlement of the home
- Live or dead trees and shrubs in the yard. Read more
Fixing Your Foundations to Avoid this Problem in the Future
There are many different causes of cracks in concrete slab foundations. Here are some of the most common:
- Improperly installed slab or foundation materials
- Water ingress/exposure
- Faulty design or construction. More information
At Hargrave Custom Foundation Repair we are dedicated to offer professional foundation repair services to residential homeowners and for commercial properties contact us today and worry no more about foundation cracks.