House Settling Cracks Information
Summary: House settling cracks are unsettling. Luckily, foundation settlement has a lot of information about it, including lumber shrinkage. Foundation repair and foundation problems can be solved by doing some reading.
Related Articles: Foundation Crack Illustrations, Settlement Cracks - Causes & Prevention, Understanding House Settling Cracks
Literature for Settlement, Shrinkage and Foundation Problems
There are lots and lots of books out there about foundation settlement, cracks, expansive clay soils and lumber shrinkage. Most of them are somewhat technical. If you live in a town that has an engineering college or school, this is the place to start. Libraries will very likely have these books as well if they have a strong science section.
If you do have a college or university in your area, it is always a good idea to call and see if you can find a professor who is willing to talk to you. Most are very nice people who have an affection for books! This works to your advantage.
Two Winner Books
In talking with several structural engineers in my own town, both of them pointed me to a swell book about residential foundation problems. One of the engineers, Bob Becker P.E. said, "It is the Bible of the engineering industry."
The particular book is titled Foundation Repair Manual. It was authored by Robert Wade Brown. Mr. Brown's book is simply the best. Find a copy and read certain chapters if you have foundation problems. Some chapters are way over my head, but most are readable.
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Comments:
Mat 03 Mar 2009, 14:06
I have a 33 year old home in Sitka Alaska that has settled on average 3 to
5 inches with no interior or exterior signs or cracking. I believe it was
built this way but that doesn’t hold any weight. My question is, what is
common or average in house settling over the years?
Marshal 13 Jul 2009, 09:05
My 20 year old house in Cary NC is showing signs of settlement-cracks in
brick and drywall. A contractor said that these were the result of clay
contraction due to incomplete vapor barrier and several piles of hardened
clay (prior owner had sump pumps installed clay from holes not removed). He
indicated that correcting these two issues would eliminate further
problems. Seems too simple, is this valid? Also if I have a full vapor can
i cover the clay piles (vs remove them). This was very expensive and it
seems like the vapor barrier would hold the mositure. thanks for your help
shantee 04 Jan 2010, 15:39
Wanting to know is there a time frame for when a house should start to show
signs of settlement-cracks, my house was just built and completed in 2009,
I have lived there for 4months and I am already seeing cracks, is this too
soon or not.
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