Hear ya loud n clear on those homes you inspected/mentioned.
Sometimes, one hairline vertical etc cracks, say caused when home was built, when BACKFILLED, can become wider down the road.
Some sooner, some later. Some of those cracks will widen DUE TO the shtty clay backfill, shrink-swell.
Some could widen if a concrete slab settled against the wall/crack and some little existing cracks may widen due to a tree root, or other shtt like vibrations from machines/equipment out in the street.
Most often WE see the SOIL take over, just saying what we’ve seen.
I’m NOT saying EVERY little crack will become a bigger problem, no.
I am saying, some do and most will allow water etc in and so, waterproof the dumb az cracks.
Am not here trying to knock all HI’s, am trying to help inform a little on 1 subject where they most certainly can get screwed over ($$$) by certain statements etc they make to homeowners.
Eh, homeowners are RELYING on you people, duh, loool, but seriously, they are and so, just saying don’t say certain things, as mentioned above.
And man, you really shouldn’t be using/saying/claiming that the GRADE can solve most basement leaks, I will go to court for FREE (already have) for those buyers around here who heard tht dumb az shtt from some HI
Some cracks on the outside of basement walls are just cracks in duh parging but DO allow water to enter and, sure, the parging can-could get worse and then allow more water to enter basement. Have posted quite a few photos of those.
ONE added point on these, why should a buyer have to PAY for an EXISTING leak, due to whatever-the-actual problem is, wall crack or whatever. That’s why they hired you good guys!!! Some are better, more informed than others.
Quite a few of my photos sets are of homes that were bought, inspected and HO was told not to worry about a little crack or, all the homeowner had to do was raise and slope the grade.
Nonsense and these HI’s should lose their fee, sorry but cmon
Oh, and my lil laugh outbreak in prior post was not AT any particular HI.
It was due to me thinking, shttt, have posted these links and photos soooo many times and thought/hoped more had seen them, read them. Its like, why bother.
Mr. Stephen,
just wanted to add that sometimes, when you/I/Jeffrey Dahmer etc look at the TOP of some exterior cracks that, some of those crack BELOW grade will be wider.
If anyone had looked at the TOP of this wall/corner before it was dug out, they would not have known the lower blocks had disintegrated UNLESS, you had seen it before hence, knew if was possible, knew that just because we see ‘x’ above ground, does not necessarily mean we will see exactly that, below ground.
PLEASE see this one too, there was no visible evidence of THIS when looking at the inside basement wall, ONLY that the homeowner leaked in this area… http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/BasementWaterproofing76#5942703365980951314
These 2 photos are 2 of many reasons why, you dig, exterior waterproofing and NOT just watch cracks or raise and slope the grade etc.
And, what the hlll, i’ll ask this again too, how would recommending and then having an interior basement drainage system fix/repair this? How would THAT, stop further water etc from entering.
Lateral pressure can CAUSE step cracks, vertical cracks, horizontal cracks and cause walls to bow in, leak, mold, efflorescence, allow pests, radon etc in.
John, copy and paste all you want but why scare buyers. Home inspectors are not engineers and if a crack is stable in an other wise good home just tell them to get an engineer to determine if the crack is worth worrying about. Get some soli bore samples while your at it.
Proper grading and downspout extensions do help control soil getting wet and expanding, even high school kids know about hydrostaic pressure.
Drawing a conclusion on what a crack will do is beyong the authority of the average home inspector. What it might do is still a stretch.
Inspectors can only guess at things they can’t see or test.
…Now, I’m scaring buyers? Really? :-k
Mark Anderson scares buyers? Your concluding i scare buyers and, one could take that statement as if your telling/informing me of MY business-what I know best/not to worry etc about small cracks.
I mean NO disrespect man and you/others can question all you like, its a message board so loool. But in the end, if you/others are saying that you are correct, that homeowners should listen to you on this-subject instead of an honest-experienced waterproofing, foundation contractor, then I do indeed disagree.
Somebody apparently needs to CHANGE at least some of the stuff HI’s are reading, are asked to read/know, in order to become a member here/elsewhere. WHAT in god’s name are ya’s reading/supposed to know,by whom? Just like some of the stupid building codes etc need to be changed. Many builders still backfilling with clay/expansive soil against walls and, lots of other-junk they should be hauling away but don’t. Weak, sorry az, cheap mfrs.
Some here have also said, I post to purposely knock home inspectors.
Sheesh. lool
LITTLE cracks can allow water in basements, so even though some small cracks won’t widen, why should buyers have to pay for waterproofing those cracks when they are existing defects/cracks, just like a possible small hole in a roof would be or existing open mortar joints, cracked bricks should be noted and tuckpointed etc.
I’m scaring buyers or, umm maybe, some HI’s scare the life outta them.
Why do some HI’s FALSELY claim crap like, ‘Most basement leaks can be solved by adding soil/regrading’?
If your not an SE or expert on this subject then… WHY do some HI’s keep opening their yaps and RECOMMENDING supposed moronic solutions? Why not instead say something like, ‘Folks, I am not sure WHY your basement leaks, not sure what caused the vertical crack and not sure why it is widening a little, consult an SE or other expert BEFORE buying this home’.
Jesus, I meet and talk to many homeowners too, and fairly often they have OTHER problems, need solutions for those problems and, am often asked about those others problems BUTTTT, I do not stick my neck out there and tell homeowners they should do this or that on those other-problems beeeeeecause, loool, I am not an expert on HVAC, electrical etc etc I keep my stoooopid yapper shut and just say, FIND an honest-experienced electrical etc person to help you with THAT problem Mr homeowner
The rest of photos from same house, what is OUTSIDE? http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/BasementWaterproofing72
loool one MORE time… don’t worry about, be concerned about small cracks in basement walls, just raise and slope the grade? Maybe, just maybe, some HI’s should spend more time understanding this subject, duh umm foundation walls/waterproofing as its ummm, pretty important and can be COSTLY versus, writing articles on this subject as if they’re the experts. Foundations are a tad more important than doorbells err hand rails etc
I don’t get excited about hairline vertical cracks.
Monitor for changing conditions and seal to prevent moisture entering.
You have to explain to your client there is no way to determine how significant the crack may be, if if it will worsen or if it is in a static condition.
Unless I saw evidence and could guess with some confidence I might tell someone that a crack is not always a major concern.
If I say keep an eye on it I mean keep an eye on it and get an engineer or a good basement guy (if you can avoid all the snake oil salesmen) to give an opinion.
In the short time of a home inspection I don’t feel its my job or wise to guess what a crack might do.
Sorry for the contradiction but its really easy to worry people over nothing.
Later this week I am inspecting for presense of mold, not my area of expertise but not uncommon in the 203K loan work. I have been to this proerty before and recommended MoldStat, keep it clean and check back when the home has been heated for a couple of months. I could have said its nothing to worry about or said “Mold Kills”, instead I said watch it for a while. Best answer as the mold appears to be gone and the people are happy in the home.
I was a carpenter but I still wouldn’t tell a buyer how to frame a doorway. Although I could. I offer little opinions to buyers. If I do I try to be careful and clear.
exactly