Diagnose it first
Foundation Problems
What am I actually looking at, and does it need doing anything about?
Start with the symptom rather than the service. Each page below explains what that symptom usually means, states plainly which versions of it need attention and which are fine to monitor, and only then covers repair. Direction, displacement, width and change are the four observations that settle most cases.
We are a referral service, not a contractor. Your request goes to an independent Calgary foundation company.
Jump straight to what you are seeing
Start with the symptom rather than the service. Each answer explains what it usually means before it suggests doing anything about it.
- A crack in the wallWork out whether the direction and width matter
- Water leaking into the basementFind where it is getting in and what to do now
- A wall bowing or leaningHow to measure it and how far is too far
- Floors sloping or doors stickingThe signs that point to settlement
- A horizontal crackThe one crack direction worth acting on
- I am not sureDescribe it and we will pass it to a contractor
Every problem page
Ordered by how much urgency the symptom usually carries, not alphabetically.
assess promptly
Horizontal foundation cracks
I have a horizontal crack in my basement wall. How bad is it?
depends on detail
Leaking foundation cracks
Water is coming through a crack in my foundation. How do I stop it?
depends on detail
Foundation settlement
Part of my house seems to be sinking. How do I know if it is a real problem?
depends on detail
Cracks around windows and doors
There are cracks at the corners of my windows and doors. Is that the foundation?
The one observation that does most of the work
Before anything else, look at which way the crack runs.
Vertical cracking is usually the concrete shrinking as it cured and is extremely common in sound foundations. Horizontal cracking means the wall is being pushed by the soil outside, which is a load that has not gone away.
After direction, check displacement: run a finger across the crack and see whether the two faces are still flush. A narrow crack that is displaced matters more than a wide one that is not.
Still not sure what you have?
Describe it and give a postal code. It goes to an independent Calgary foundation contractor who can tell you what it is.
We are a referral service, not a contractor. Your request goes to an independent Calgary foundation company.