How bad is this crack? I just noticed it today but I assume it’s been there a while and happened after an earth earthquake we had a few months ago.

Is this something I can just fill in with mortar and keep an eye on?

I plan on reaching out to our insurance company to see if they’ll pay for it but if not we’re pretty strapped for cash at the moment.

  • ballskicker@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    That crack isn’t bad at all, especially if it’s following a mortar line. Are there doors/windows nearby, or is it close to a corner? Insurance will almost certainly tell you it’s nothing. My area had a quake a few years ago and I got a bigger crack (maybe 1/4") above the basement walkout door, also through the mortar like this one. If you wanna seal the crack then you’d have better luck with caulk, mortar would have a hard time taking to such a small crack; and sealing it would make the area more difficult to monitor. Just keep an eye on it over time and bone up on the water management around your house to make sure it’s all flowing away from your foundation, not loitering. I really don’t think you’ve got something to worry about right now based on what I see, and I’ve worked on or evaluated hundreds of houses. Rest easy, friend

  • weariedfae@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    This comment does not constitute professional advice and whatever else I have to say that clearly indicates this is not my professional opinion.

    These cracks appear structural in nature.

    They do need to be repaired and probably by someone who can rule out other factors. Mostly I’m concerned about the large aperture crack between the blocks at the top as a source of water infiltration and maybe even pests but that’s not my purview.

    You probably don’t need a structural engineer but a foundation repair company should take a look at it.

    If you DIY it I would document the cracks really well and check on them regularly. I don’t really recommend DIY due to the large aperture crack up top. Were I there in person I would look at the penetration of it (how deep does the crack go?) to determine more. If it penetrates deeply, again, I would recommend having someone look at it.

    That being said are you on a hill of any kind? Did these cracks appear the same day as the earthquake or after? The larger one looks older. Do you have other cracks in the foundation? Sticky doors or windows? If you’re on a hill at all I would reach out to a geotechnical firm as these cracks, if they’re not directly earthquake related, could be indicators of slope instability.

    Also are you in a floodplain? Old filled in estuary? There could have been significant settlement during the earthquake that may need to be addressed.

    Homeowner’s insurance, in my experience, will not fix earthquake damage. If you live in an earthquake prone area I recommend you purchase a separate earthquake policy. Ours is about $40/month.

    Edit to add: this probably isn’t time sensitive. I’m not advocating you run and stay in a hotel. But the crack with missing mortar isn’t a good thing and you should have it checked out.

    • glimse@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I agree with everything you said except the paragraph about how to DIY it.

      OP, do not DIY this. If you do, you now have two problems to worry about -

      1. You have no idea how to fix it AND no idea what a successful repair even looks like

      2. It will come up in the inspection when you sell. DIY foundation repairs are always noticeable and will raise a ton of questions. I backed out of two houses because the report called them out. You can’t see what’s going on behind the “repair” to know if it’s actually repaired

      • weariedfae@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Good points, I withdraw my DIY comment and reiterate that this is structural damage that needs to be looked at by professionals.