A realtor friend sent me this picture without any explanation (e.g., no idea age of home) other than an inspection was conducted and apparently this crack (long crack) was previously covered, now uncovered. Any thoughts of what caused it or the severity or what would be the next steps/advice to the home owner?
Without knowing more, looks like a pretty typical shrinkage crack. If its newer construction and thats an exterior wall could be related to draintile, could also be related to settlement.
It’s around that post. Looks like newer concrete? Post footing poured separate from the slab? Recent repair? More questions than answers from a single sideways photo.
thank you. Appreciate the response.
Right the post looks new. Hard to say without being onsite.
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Agree,
The agent needs to disclose a lot more information and even then would be a guess which helps no one!!!
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couple of quick thoughts: 1) does look like post is new. When concrete was “dug out” perhaps this caused the crack. 2) perhaps something heavy with an edge hit the floor hard and caused the crack.
Regardless, yes the crack is present but is this crack an issue? Doesn’t seem to be a structural issue given the width and presentation. What think folks?
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I’d agree, rarely would a concrete floor in a home be structural in anyway. I understand there are exceptions, or they can indicate other issues that may be adjacent, but if the floor itself is cracked, not typically. But again, hard to say without being there and knowing a lot more about whats going on.
There is a post which has a footing with an apparent repair attempt which is cracking. It is a structural component so I would want to know more. What does the home owner have to say?
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Looks like they dug and poured a pier near a control joint.
Not enough information to determine the cause, but concrete doesn’t crack in a straight line unless there was a hidden saw joint or a construction joint between pours. Stripping back all the carpet to determine if other cracks are present would be my first request before doing anything else.
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Thank you. And thanks to all for your responses. Comments sent to the inquirer.
Cracks in a basement floor are not structural and are cosmetic in nature, as it’s just a slab.
If there’s a heaving condition they may present a trip hazard, and cracks can allow Radon to enter more easily, but a concrete basement floor doesn’t have any more structural properties for the house than a dirt floor.
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Except that it often assists in preventing the bottom of the basement wall from moving inward due to outside pressures.
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Thank you.
Bob Lam
Bob Lam Solutions
(703) 201-2121
Thank you.
Bob Lam
Bob Lam Solutions
(703) 201-2121
Potential structural functions of a basement floor:
Generally, the floor slab provides lateral resistance for the basement wall at the bottom combined with the subfloor resisting the lateral resistance at the top. The basement wall in this case is called a restrained retaining wall.
The basement floor slab provides structural support for homes that use a load bearing wall in the basement instead of columns and beam, depending on the wall loading the slab may require a thicker section under the wall.
If concrete footings were poured under the basement floor slab and the columns sit on top of the basement floor, then the slab has to distribute the column load down to the footing. If the footing is too small, then the floor slab will carry some of the load up to a point.