Horizontal cracks are a sign of a severe issue with the foundation. The soil on the outside is overly saturated and putting extreme pressure on the foundation walls. The walls may be bowing and the risk of buckling or caving in is high. The need for repair is immediate.

Stair step cracks appear along the mortar joints of a cinderblock foundation wall. These cracks can be found close to the corners of the basement space. Likely due to bowing walls, these should be addressed pretty quickly.

Vertical cracks are typically due to the soil on the other side of the wall settling over time. Water will seep through these cracks, likely during heavy rains. These types of cracks should be repaired, but timing is based on the homeowner’s preference, budget, size of crack and the severity of water seepage/damage. Please note: Hairline cracks are a common result of normal foundation settlement but any crack wider than an eighth of an inch should be inspected.