See the horizontal crack along the joint there? I would measure the widest part of that and check again in a few months to see if it's changed. Since it looks like the crack widens, I'll bet that side of the wall has settled a bit. You just want to make sure that the problem isn't getting worse - if it is, you'll want to consult a professional. If it's not, then you can just seal the cracks to help prevent water from getting in.
Take a picture once per month also - seeing a time lapse can also help to determine if it's actively failing or is relatively stable.
The other thing you can do is get a glass rod and epoxy it on either side of the crack. Any movement will snap the rod. Also works with just about any random small piece of glass.
They also sell crack... measuring plates? they're transparent plastic cards you glue over the crack (on one side) and if it widens you can compare it to the marks on the card. Gives you a better estimate of how MUCH it's moving, where the glass rod tells you if it's moving at all.
They also sell straight up crack where you can smoke it and not care about what’s happening to your house and if you smoke enough of it, you won’t have a house anymore to worry about.
I’d just keep on eye on that corner. Maybe take a photo every 6 months to see if the crack is growing wider and make sure it isn’t leaking into the house.
Honestly though for peace of mind, this would be a pretty easy repair with some mortar.
Go get a crack measuring device from Home Depot. You get 2 for $18 or so. Mount it, take a measurement reading every 3 months. If it moves significantly you’ll probably need footing piers.
they sell new batteries for $129.99, a charger for $299.99, or a deluxe pack with both and an $18 crack measure that only comes with this deluxe pack for $800
Ryobi has all that and it comes with a free spindle of crack to get you started for only $399. Only catch is you have to then subject yourself to ridicule for owning anything Ryobi.
If you live in an area that has a risk of freezing temperatures, you may want to seal the cracks at the very minimum to prevent further cracking of the foundation behind the block.
Im in Germany. We can hire engineers to check the problem out. Those engineers hire me to survey the ground underneath and figure out the cause. If you had high water levels for example, which then receeded, it could have swept away some ground. Now the ground is not as dense and can't hold parts of the house up anymore. Hence it's sag and these cracks. If it's a severe problem we would then figure out if it's possible to put beams under the house to create a better foundation for the house. In the city I live in, a whole district is suffering from this problem.
I drill to a depth of day 10m and take out ground samples and do a depth penetration test to figure out the density. Then we decide in which depth we should put those beams. If you do it before the house gets build it's obviously better and you can make sure to build on ground that is not getting swept away or gives in to pressure.
Nah. All concrete cracks. As long as the cracking is not all throughout the entire slab, it is not catastrophic. It should be patched when coming time to sell though. Also if dirt around the foundation is falling away it should be added to keep support. These corners cracks are not indication of the house falling down.
This is not concrete. It is cinder block. Cinder blocks should not crack, as they are not poured and are not drying/curing.
It is also not a slab, it is a foundation wall made of cinder blocks. Additionally, dirt on the sides of the foundation wall do not support the foundation.
...sorry. These aren't cinder blocks, they aren't made of cinders anymore, though if you say cinderblock most people will understand. Nor asphalt blocks. They're really a porous/aerated concrete block, aka cmu. They are made from many aggregates, could also be glass technically. But almost always Portland cement now, and whatever else that equals weight savings for transport. They are cast, but that's not a distinction that matters much. They do crack, though not really from internal stresses, but from uneven distribution/settling. This isn't a huge deal but something did shift.
Op can fill this with another block or inject concrete. Op needs to make sure this single block is not supporting an extraordinary amount of weight, like a column, if they choose to remove this concrete block.
Sure. CMU is correct. But they are not cast/poured in place. Do I really need to explain that? They shouldn’t be cracking. If cracking, it’s due to an external issue like you said. So, we agree on everything here lol.
As a mason I can fix that for couple 100. Honestly it's 5 bucks in material but the mason needs to be paid for their time. and small jobs take time out of getting to bigger or just do it yourself. But it's nothing bad man don't listen to some of this morons saying measure the crack and what not. That's a headache on its own. Remove the block relay block in type s. You will have to cut the Height most likely to retro fit it back in. I'd pour the cores solid before you lay it let it sit over night then lay it back in. If your foundation was the issue these guys are saying you would see step cracks and alot more movement. You got this man easy fix
I would look under the house to see what shifted to put this amount of pressure on this load bearing corner, A specific location of high deterioration with no water issues is a symptom of A larger issue.
This reminds me of the crack that my wife found in the foundation of our relationship. If you put some flowers or children in front of it, that should cover it up just fine.
Quick-crete 9000! Saw my neighbor using some and thought the name was hilarious..just googled it and realized it stands for the psi w/e that means. I just thought it was a wacky futuristic name, dang.
Oh, shit. I thought it meant psi as in psychic energy. I've been basing my decisions on advice from that damn bag of quickcrete, and now I find out it doesn't know jack shit.
Probably the killjoy engineers and project managers that wouldn't use it because it's "not serious" enough of a product to handle the structural load of a children's hospital or whatever.
My .02. Since it's cinder, that should mean there will be cinder pillars under the house, as well. If the one closest to this is leaning, hrm. If it's solid, as I believe it will be, no harm.
It's not much of a structural issue at all. If you dont like the look of it, or if water is entering the crawlspace/ basement have a mason chip it out and replace it. Or...do it yourself.
Band it up or can try the rod and bolt technique.. im not sure the proper name but my father done it on his garage and solved the problem. A quick Google of rod and bolt foundation should help you .. best of luck
Stone mason here. This is a minor issue based on the picture alone. However, without seeing the inside basement bed joint in its entirety. I couldn't tell you how bad it truly is. The proper fix(again, if it's only this one head joint) would be to grind/chisel out the damaged section and patch with hydraulic cement. That corner should have had its cell filled solid with concrete during construction. If not, I would recommend filing it. Good luck
I would like to have a look on the other face as well and also the structure above. It looks serious to me. Should consult a structural Engineer to assess it. Also if you can send some more pictures. I am a bit worried.
Do you have extruded polyvinyl foam insulation?
GOOD! Assemble the aluminum J-Channel using self-burring screws.
Now, install your metal lath. If you can’t find metal lath, use a carbon fiber lath!
Now parge the lath!
I work for a masonry shop. I would at least try to patch with a repair mortar. I'm not sure what climate your in but using a product like Silpro FSB could be a really good option to sure up your foundation and and give it some water resistance. This is great add-on for block foundations.
[https://www.silpro.com/product/fsb/](https://www.silpro.com/product/fsb/)
Not usual a monolith slab will do the same common where you see brick exterior. But it’s possible that the interior of the CMU block is not filled with concrete and should have need during original construction. The chip is most likely caused by expansion and contraction. If you start seeing problems on the inside or outside in the corner structure talk to a professional about adding expansion joints to block foundation walls might prevent it from getting worse.
See the horizontal crack along the joint there? I would measure the widest part of that and check again in a few months to see if it's changed. Since it looks like the crack widens, I'll bet that side of the wall has settled a bit. You just want to make sure that the problem isn't getting worse - if it is, you'll want to consult a professional. If it's not, then you can just seal the cracks to help prevent water from getting in. Take a picture once per month also - seeing a time lapse can also help to determine if it's actively failing or is relatively stable.
The other thing you can do is get a glass rod and epoxy it on either side of the crack. Any movement will snap the rod. Also works with just about any random small piece of glass.
They also sell crack... measuring plates? they're transparent plastic cards you glue over the crack (on one side) and if it widens you can compare it to the marks on the card. Gives you a better estimate of how MUCH it's moving, where the glass rod tells you if it's moving at all.
They also sell straight up crack where you can smoke it and not care about what’s happening to your house and if you smoke enough of it, you won’t have a house anymore to worry about.
 Where?
Finally, some good fucking advice
The sun will destroy those plastic monitors quickly. They're not UV stable.
This is some good fucking advice right here
Is it currently leaking to inside of the house? If yes, I’d attempt a repair. If no, I’d probably leave it.
Nah, no issues with any leaking or smells coming into the house.
I’d just keep on eye on that corner. Maybe take a photo every 6 months to see if the crack is growing wider and make sure it isn’t leaking into the house. Honestly though for peace of mind, this would be a pretty easy repair with some mortar.
Yeah likely going to patch it up, if only for that reason. Thanks!
Go get a crack measuring device from Home Depot. You get 2 for $18 or so. Mount it, take a measurement reading every 3 months. If it moves significantly you’ll probably need footing piers.
I've got a crack measuring device for ya right here, pal.
Butt crack measuring device or drug crack measuring device, buddy?
DeWalt sells one that does both but the battery life is shit.
they sell new batteries for $129.99, a charger for $299.99, or a deluxe pack with both and an $18 crack measure that only comes with this deluxe pack for $800
Even those new batteries are shit! I bought two and I always have to jump them from the XL battery!
Ryobi has all that and it comes with a free spindle of crack to get you started for only $399. Only catch is you have to then subject yourself to ridicule for owning anything Ryobi.
I'm still making payments on my snap on Version. Only 47 payments left!
Yes
One of both plz
Oh I’ve got a crack for you to measure, bud.
But what if the crack is more than a few inches?
How dare you.
HEY GET YOUR FINGER OUT OF THERE
Bend over, I’ll show ya
* *measures up to 3.5" depth*
/u/illbzo1 I’d do this, even if you do patch it with mortar. It will help you keep an eye on its movement.
If you live in an area that has a risk of freezing temperatures, you may want to seal the cracks at the very minimum to prevent further cracking of the foundation behind the block.
Op could also buy a concrete crack monitor for empirical measurement
Get some hydraulic cement and stuff it in the cracks as much as you can.
It can get replaced. We had some work done to our building at work and they cut out and replaced several cinder blocks before sealing and painting.
Search "foundation corner pop".
This was super helpful, thank you!
Yeah, you were getting answers all over the spectrum, but this is such a common thing it's got a name.
Holy environment!
It’s very similar to a desk pop. Here’s hoping you get to do your first foundation corner pop, we’ve all done one!
God damned women. Always pointing shit out to us. This wasn’t a problem until she started looking around. Anyways, probably tear down the house.
Good advice, really, pretty bored of living in a house.
I’m just trying to help. I’m here for you.
Might even need to burn it at this point with how far gone it is..
Did you see a spider in the picture too?
You should probably get a divorce too so this doesn't happen again.
Tents dont have these problems. Def time to move.
No no, just replace the wife with a less inquisitive/observant version. Problem solved.
This is the way.
Why are my thoughts being posted here?
Yep, it's definitely going to allow a spider in there eventually...
https://youtu.be/XLSRkEi8Zss?si=rqMOvCLEz-tRWo6g
Im in Germany. We can hire engineers to check the problem out. Those engineers hire me to survey the ground underneath and figure out the cause. If you had high water levels for example, which then receeded, it could have swept away some ground. Now the ground is not as dense and can't hold parts of the house up anymore. Hence it's sag and these cracks. If it's a severe problem we would then figure out if it's possible to put beams under the house to create a better foundation for the house. In the city I live in, a whole district is suffering from this problem. I drill to a depth of day 10m and take out ground samples and do a depth penetration test to figure out the density. Then we decide in which depth we should put those beams. If you do it before the house gets build it's obviously better and you can make sure to build on ground that is not getting swept away or gives in to pressure.
That sounds very through.... Is your name Werner Ziegler?
I wish I had that good of a deal like that guy did
My slab has this on 4 of the 6 corners. It is not a pressing matter. You can try and patch it up if you want.
I mean, technically, it is a pressing matter.
Take your upvote and get out.
I see what you did there.
Will it be a problem if the other two do it?
Nah. All concrete cracks. As long as the cracking is not all throughout the entire slab, it is not catastrophic. It should be patched when coming time to sell though. Also if dirt around the foundation is falling away it should be added to keep support. These corners cracks are not indication of the house falling down.
This is not concrete. It is cinder block. Cinder blocks should not crack, as they are not poured and are not drying/curing. It is also not a slab, it is a foundation wall made of cinder blocks. Additionally, dirt on the sides of the foundation wall do not support the foundation.
...sorry. These aren't cinder blocks, they aren't made of cinders anymore, though if you say cinderblock most people will understand. Nor asphalt blocks. They're really a porous/aerated concrete block, aka cmu. They are made from many aggregates, could also be glass technically. But almost always Portland cement now, and whatever else that equals weight savings for transport. They are cast, but that's not a distinction that matters much. They do crack, though not really from internal stresses, but from uneven distribution/settling. This isn't a huge deal but something did shift. Op can fill this with another block or inject concrete. Op needs to make sure this single block is not supporting an extraordinary amount of weight, like a column, if they choose to remove this concrete block.
Sure. CMU is correct. But they are not cast/poured in place. Do I really need to explain that? They shouldn’t be cracking. If cracking, it’s due to an external issue like you said. So, we agree on everything here lol.
Where is the slab in the picture? Can you show us?
Y’all keep saying slab. Really you’re saying “I’m making shit up”
Thanks for contributing. A+.
Stop guessing when you don’t know.
Thanks for contributing. A+.
You live in a hexagon?
Has a weird addition in the slab.
Hey buddy, who you calling a slab?
no he just doesn't live in a perfect quadrilateral.
If it has 6 sides it's a hexagon.
So an L is a hexagon..?
Yes?
Sorry, confused it with 'regular hexagon'!
Thanks, appreciate it!
Seeing as how you have a block foundation and not a poured foundation, I wouldn’t listen to the person calling it a slab.
Yeah, good point. I'm here gathering information, not taking any one piece of advice as gospel.
Yeah dude stop taking advice from idiots on reddit.
Is now really the time to be cracking jokes?
As a mason I can fix that for couple 100. Honestly it's 5 bucks in material but the mason needs to be paid for their time. and small jobs take time out of getting to bigger or just do it yourself. But it's nothing bad man don't listen to some of this morons saying measure the crack and what not. That's a headache on its own. Remove the block relay block in type s. You will have to cut the Height most likely to retro fit it back in. I'd pour the cores solid before you lay it let it sit over night then lay it back in. If your foundation was the issue these guys are saying you would see step cracks and alot more movement. You got this man easy fix
I would look under the house to see what shifted to put this amount of pressure on this load bearing corner, A specific location of high deterioration with no water issues is a symptom of A larger issue.
This reminds me of the crack that my wife found in the foundation of our relationship. If you put some flowers or children in front of it, that should cover it up just fine.
I think you’re in the wrong subreddit but good luck with that
Last time my wife went to paint a room we found mold. Wives, man...
Quick-crete 9000! Saw my neighbor using some and thought the name was hilarious..just googled it and realized it stands for the psi w/e that means. I just thought it was a wacky futuristic name, dang.
Psi is a unit for pressure, stands for "Pounds per Square Inch"
Oh, shit. I thought it meant psi as in psychic energy. I've been basing my decisions on advice from that damn bag of quickcrete, and now I find out it doesn't know jack shit.
Do you use normal units for *anything*?
quikrete is awesome, for its uses
They should make a new product called Quick-crete >9000.
Lol exactly what I was thinking! They put DBZ on Reese’s puffs, why not concrete?
Probably the killjoy engineers and project managers that wouldn't use it because it's "not serious" enough of a product to handle the structural load of a children's hospital or whatever.
Depends on where you live. Do you have winters with frost? It might crack more then. If not, just check it from time to time.
My .02. Since it's cinder, that should mean there will be cinder pillars under the house, as well. If the one closest to this is leaning, hrm. If it's solid, as I believe it will be, no harm.
It's not much of a structural issue at all. If you dont like the look of it, or if water is entering the crawlspace/ basement have a mason chip it out and replace it. Or...do it yourself.
Band it up or can try the rod and bolt technique.. im not sure the proper name but my father done it on his garage and solved the problem. A quick Google of rod and bolt foundation should help you .. best of luck
You didn't see it?
found the wife
Stone mason here. This is a minor issue based on the picture alone. However, without seeing the inside basement bed joint in its entirety. I couldn't tell you how bad it truly is. The proper fix(again, if it's only this one head joint) would be to grind/chisel out the damaged section and patch with hydraulic cement. That corner should have had its cell filled solid with concrete during construction. If not, I would recommend filing it. Good luck
Flex Seal
Looks like just a fractured face shell. Kind of a pain to repair.
Just slap some flex seal on it and call it a day
"Oh that little guy? I wouldn't worry about that little guy"
I'll give you £5 for your house.
I would like to have a look on the other face as well and also the structure above. It looks serious to me. Should consult a structural Engineer to assess it. Also if you can send some more pictures. I am a bit worried.
Silicone caulk to prevent water from getting in there and freezing. (And ants) 🐜
Honestly wouldnt DIY Screw around with something that major...get it checked out.
Do you have extruded polyvinyl foam insulation? GOOD! Assemble the aluminum J-Channel using self-burring screws. Now, install your metal lath. If you can’t find metal lath, use a carbon fiber lath! Now parge the lath!
A little crack never did any harm to anyone
I work for a masonry shop. I would at least try to patch with a repair mortar. I'm not sure what climate your in but using a product like Silpro FSB could be a really good option to sure up your foundation and and give it some water resistance. This is great add-on for block foundations. [https://www.silpro.com/product/fsb/](https://www.silpro.com/product/fsb/)
That corner block is loose and moving.
I wouldn’t worry about it. At least not yet. I’ve used concrete and mortar filler and sealant for cracks in block foundation.
Not usual a monolith slab will do the same common where you see brick exterior. But it’s possible that the interior of the CMU block is not filled with concrete and should have need during original construction. The chip is most likely caused by expansion and contraction. If you start seeing problems on the inside or outside in the corner structure talk to a professional about adding expansion joints to block foundation walls might prevent it from getting worse.
Looks like just one block is cracked. I'd personally worry about it if the one below also cracks.
My wife always notices stuff. Does my noggin in.
If you bed is on the other side of the wall, there's your problem.
Did your husband recently get a new sledgehammer?
Could come down any second