Is my foundation crack serious?
Usually not, but the direction, width and whether it is growing tell you a lot. As a general guide:
| Crack | Common cause | How much to worry |
|---|---|---|
| Thin vertical crack in a poured wall | Concrete shrinking as it cured | Low, unless it leaks or widens |
| Diagonal crack running from a corner or window | Some settlement | Medium; watch it |
| Stair-step crack along block mortar joints | Settlement or soil pressure | Medium; watch for widening or bowing |
| Horizontal crack, often mid-height in a block wall | Soil pressure pushing the wall in | High; get it assessed |
| Any crack with the wall leaning or bulging | Wall is moving | High; get it assessed soon |
| Crack in the basement floor | Shrinkage or soil movement under the slab | Usually low unless it heaves or leaks |
If you see a horizontal crack, an inward bow, or doors and windows upstairs that suddenly stick, move to the bowing walls page.
Why do Toledo foundations crack?
The soil and the age of the homes. Toledo is built on dense lake clay from the old Great Black Swamp. Clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and when it is saturated it pushes harder on basement walls. Over decades of wet springs and dry summers, that movement finds weak spots. And with the median owner-occupied Toledo home built in 1952, many walls are block or older poured concrete that has been holding back wet clay for 70 years or more.
How do I tell if a crack is getting worse?
Track it. It costs nothing.
- Make a pencil mark at each end of the crack and write the date next to it.
- Measure the widest point with a ruler or a crack gauge, and photograph it with the ruler in the shot.
- Check again every month and after big rains or a hard freeze.
- Note any water, damp edges or white mineral crust along the crack.
A crack that lengthens past your marks, gets wider, or starts to show one side offset from the other is active and worth an assessment.
How are basement cracks repaired?
It depends on what the crack is doing.
- Leaking crack in a poured wall: usually injected from inside with polyurethane foam, which expands to fill the crack and stop water, or epoxy, which bonds the concrete back together. This Old House lists crack injection at about $800 to $1,500 per crack as a general national range.
- Cracks in block walls: injection does not work well on hollow block. Leaks are usually handled with drainage, such as interior drain tile, and movement with wall reinforcement.
- Cracks with wall movement: the crack is a symptom. The fix is to stabilize the wall with straps, braces or anchors, or to rebuild it. See bowing basement walls.
- Settlement cracks with the foundation sinking: may call for piers under the footing. That is structural work; get an engineer involved.
Should I get a structural engineer?
For a single leaking shrinkage crack, usually not. For a horizontal crack, a bowing wall, signs of settlement, or when two companies disagree, an independent structural engineer can tell you what is actually happening and what repair is needed, without selling you the repair. Today's Homeowner puts a structural engineer inspection at about $300 to $1,000 as a general range.
Do I need a permit to repair a foundation in Toledo?
For structural work, generally yes. The City of Toledo requires permits to alter or make major repairs to any structure. Sealing a small crack is a minor repair; reinforcing or rebuilding a wall is not. If you hire a contractor, the contractor must pull the permit. Outside Toledo the process differs: Oregon and Maumee have their own building inspection offices, while Sylvania, Perrysburg and the townships pair a local zoning permit with a county building permit. Ask your contractor which applies.
What should I ask a foundation repair company?
- What is causing this crack, and how do you know?
- Is it structural or cosmetic?
- What exactly will you do, and what will it cost, in writing?
- Will an engineer review the plan?
- Who pulls the permit?
- What does the warranty cover, and does it transfer if I sell?
Then compare at least two written estimates. Our Toledo guide has more on reading cracks.
Quick answers
Are vertical cracks in a basement wall normal?
Thin vertical cracks in poured concrete walls are common and usually come from the concrete shrinking as it cured. They matter mainly if they leak or keep widening.
Is a horizontal basement crack bad?
It should be looked at. A horizontal crack, especially in a block wall, usually means soil pressure is pushing the wall inward.
Can I fix a leaking foundation crack myself?
DIY injection kits exist for small cracks in poured walls. If the crack is wide, growing, in a block wall, or paired with bowing, have a professional look first.