With the real estate market hot, Canadians have been buying homes at all time highs. After you get an accepted offer there are 2 main things that happen next; financing and home inspection. We recommend that before you even look for financing you should always get a house inspection done first.
Try to walk along side the house inspector, they can point out many things that might surprise you down the road. One of the biggest causes of concern is cracks in the foundation and basement walls. While cracks are common to see not all foundation cracks are equal!
If your house inspector does not have a lot of experience with cracks you can always contact Wise Cracks and our experts will be happy to give you a free quote for repairing cracks that are a concern.
3 Types Of Cracks To Look For
The 3 types of foundation cracks that you should be looking for are:
- Shrinkage cracks
- Settlement cracks
- Horizontal cracks
Shrinkage Cracks
Shrinkage cracks are common in poured concrete basement walls. These cracks happen when the concrete is curing because the raw material is shrinking as it bonds together.
Settlement Cracks
Potentially a cause for concern, these cracks can be vertical and are often near the end of walls. Sometimes they can look like a diagonal step crack. These types usually continue into brickwork above the foundation wall.
Typically these occur once when the foundation settles and tends to remain consistent. If this gap starts to grow or new ones appear then there is a potential concern here for basement leaks to start.
Horizontal Cracks
These types of cracks are of the most concern. It’s a sign that pressure from the outside is pushing against your basement, causing concrete blocks to crack as it adjusts to the new curves.
These types of cracks should never be overlooked and can develop into a major expense or cause water damage.
If you have noticed any of these types of cracks contact your local Wise Cracks location to inquire and get a free quote to fix any cracks or leaks.
