![]() This crack is a sign of settling foundation issues. This photo was taken by an Acculevel project advisor during a free in-home assessment. What Are Signs of Uneven Settling In A Brick Foundation?Īre you seeing stair step brick cracks (like a zig-zag shape) on the exterior of your home? The photo below is a great example. Water pushing in from the sides can weaken your house foundation. It’s designed to resist pressure from above, so that it can withstand the weight of your home and hold the structure stable. Unfortunately, this non-absorbent object is sometimes your house. Then it collects into pools or puddles, building up pressure. Essentially, this means that any water that isn’t absorbed flows freely around your yard- until it runs into something it can’t flow through. When there is more water in the ground than the soil can absorb, hydrostatic pressure develops. Instead, they warp or crack under the strain. So they won’t allow for one area to pull against the rest. None of the materials used to build your home- bricks, steel, lumber- are flexible. When one corner or section of your home sinks more than the others, it causes stress throughout the entire building. Settling is only an issue if it happens unevenly. It’s a natural and reasonable process that happens as the weight of a home presses down on the soil below. We have to consider the crack location, its size and shape, and what other problems are happening in your home.Ī small amount of foundation settling is nothing to worry about all houses settle to a certain degree. Not every crack in a brick veneer is a structural problem. Repair methods used by most foundation companies are designed for concrete materials, typically not brick.ĭifferent Types of Cracks Indicate Different Issues Masons are skilled tradesmen who specialize in brick, stone, and mortar construction. If you have an older home with a true brick foundation, you may need to work with a masonry company if you’re seeing brick cracking. Builders often add a type of decorative outer layer -a brick veneer- to cover the concrete and add to curb appeal. Most homes built since the 1950s have concrete foundations. Clogged gutters may not seem like a foundation threat, but they are! This type of preventative maintenance can also protect your brick foundation from erosion, hydrostatic pressure, and water intrusion.īefore we begin, please be confident in the makeup of your foundation structure. Make sure the grading around your foundation is good and your downspouts are draining away from the home. Small problems with exterior bricks can usually be prevented with good drainage practices. If you’re concerned about cracks in your brickwork or masonry, you should inspect them for cracking, flaking, and other changes. The sometimes extreme freeze-and-thaw cycles that we experience here in the Midwest aren’t good for bricks, either. Despite that compression, bricks don’t stand up well to major environmental changes they often crack or chip when conditions are too wet or too dry. Let’s start with what a brick is, and the various reasons it might crack.īricks are made of hard baked clay that is tightly compressed into the classic brick shape. We have helped more than 35,000 homeowners restore stability to their settling foundations and we want to help you do the same. Acculevel is a family-owned and operated company founded by Andy Beery in 1996. We’re going to review bricks and brick veneers, foundation cracks, and most importantly- what you need to look for in addition to those cracking bricks. It depends on what type of crack it is, where it is, and if there are other symptoms elsewhere in the home. ![]() The bricks on your wall are cracked: isn’t that a sign of foundation problems? Understandably, you start to worry about what this means. You’re looking at the outside of your beautiful brick home when you notice the veneer is cracking.
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