6 types of basement floor cracks and what they mean cracks with heaving are signs of a bigger problem that needs to be addressed.
Cracks in basement floor wet.
This sort of damage suggests soil expansion beneath the basement floor.
While floor cracks typically do not pose a problem for the structural integrity of a home it is still important for them to be properly filled and sealed so that moisture can t seep inside and cause problems.
Basements and crawl spaces are normally damp because they re located below grade yard level.
This can make cracks form in basement concrete particularly in wet seasons and is often why there s water in your basement after rain.
Of course any water that comes into the basement for any reason hydrostatic or lateral pressure gutter spillover or oversaturated soil around the foundation or from any source cracks bad mortar joints or the cove joint ends up on the basement floor.
The ground underneath your foundation is full of moisture.
Newly poured concrete shrinks when it dries.
Clogged weeping drain tile depending on the age of the home and other factors weeping tile can become clogged and.
In most houses a stack effect is created because warm air rises.
Jul 2 2014 by matthew stock.
When a section of the basement floor cracks and heaves slab upward then you have a problem.
Concrete floors with cracks or larger should be leveled.
Rising groundwater causes hydrostatic pressure and that causes soil to push on your basement walls and floor.
Sump pump failure if your sump pump isn t working then you aren t draining water at the base of your foundation as was.
The sub base wasn t properly compacted and the concrete settled in one area causing the basement floor to sink and.
When a foundation settles the concrete slab can crack and.
When there are cracks in your home s foundation it lets pressure force the water up into your basement.
One of the telltale signs of a basement water problem is stepping into a puddle on the basement floor.
But when water not just moisture actually seeps through a crack it poses an increased risk of mold.
Soil that contains clay will.
This induces a negative pressure on the basement and draws moist air in through any cracks or openings in the foundation including open sump pits.
If no expansion joints are cut into the concrete floor then shrinkage.
For this reason sumps should have an airtight cover.
Basement floors crack for a many reasons.
Once a source of moisture exists mold follow.