Foundation cracks within one’s home come in varying shapes and sizes. Nonetheless, they are all damaging to a home’s foundation and necessitate foundation crack repair. Regardless of if a crack is hairline, diagonal, step, etc., action needs be taken to ensure the integrity of the foundation.
As a Northern VA foundation crack repair company, we know the serious damage that foundation cracks can cause, and how to best protect against and repair them. Here is our guide to the different kinds of foundation cracks:
What Are the Main Kinds of Cracks?
Hairline Cracks: Hairline cracks are very thin, fine cracks. These cracks are often ignored by homeowners, as many believe hairline cracks are harmless. However, hairline cracks can become larger and open way to creating more damage within one’s home. These cracks can mean the beginning of a shifting house. Furthermore, if left untreated, hairline cracks can grow and create more room for termites and other pests to squeeze through and enter the home. Lastly, these cracks may also provide a passage for water to leak into your home and lead to water damage. This is an especially dangerous problem for basement cracks, and will necessitate basement crack repair.
Diagonal Cracks: Diagonal cracks are often wider and more noticeable than hairline cracks. The cracks fall in a diagonal line and tend to be thicker on one side and thinner on the other. These cracks pose a threat to the integrity of the home, and need immediate foundation crack repair. Diagonal cracks in the basement are common, and basement crack repair becomes an essential task if a home develops such cracks. Considering a basement usually has less temperature control than the rest of the house and is closer to water and soil than any other section of the house, it can be especially vulnerable to foundation cracks.
Step Cracks: Step cracks are often found in houses with brick or concrete exteriors. They can result from the house settling. Step cracks, like all cracks, have different severities and different treatments for foundation crack repair. Step cracks are especially vulnerable to occurring in winter, as frost-push and freezing climates can cause the cracks. The cracks are in the shape of steps.
Ensuring the Integrity of Your Home
Northern VA foundation crack repair is especially important during winter months, as temperatures drop and create foundational issues within the home. You can take certain precautions to help prevent winter foundation dangers. When it snows, shovel snow away from the foundation of the home, as accumulated snow can pose a flood threat to the home and basement (especially for a foundation with cracks). Make sure gutters are clean, as water needs to flow directly through them to make sure it isn’t flowing into the foundation of the home. This is especially important as snow begins to melt. Lastly, homeowners should check sump pumps to ensure that water is able to effectively flow out of the home. Taking winter precautions can help prevent or lessen the effects of all three mentioned foundational cracks, and can make foundation crack repair easier.
Cracks can have many negative effects, so early detection and treatment is important.
Overall, foundation crack repair in Northern VA is essential to the integrity of our community’s homes. Talking to a professional at a Northern VA foundation crack repair company like Drainage & Erosion Solutions about filling cracks is essential to preventing further foundational damage to one’s home.
Drainage & Erosion Solutions: Northern VA Foundation Crack Repair You Can Trust!
Drainage & Erosion Solutions provides the highest-quality foundation crack repair solutions and the strongest warranty in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. We offer a plethora of services and are well-versed in both general foundation crack repair and basement crack repair.
We would love to help you ensure the integrity of your home. If you need expert foundation crack repair, please contact us or call us at (703) 534-1949.
