crack

[Bienes Raices]

(Not the kind you smoke...)

This is on the exterior wall. They put some kind of dark colored filler in it. You can see at the bottom that it also spreads horizontally. Is something like this usually run of the mill or of concern for foundation? Thanks.

[J Scott]

Can't get enough detail from the picture (and I'm not a structural engineer), so I won't comment specifically on this crack...

But, here are some general rules of thumb based on what I've learned from my structural contractors:

- Horizontal cracks are generally the result of static pressure (often water pressing against the other side of the wall) and generally indicate a structural failure or impending failure. These types of cracks should be repaired (anchors or kevlar strips) and the pressure issue should be alleviated;

- Vertical cracks often indicate a shifting in the foundation, and depending on the cause of the shift and the severity, it may or may not need to be repaired;

- The most common types of cracks in my experience are "step cracks" that follow a pattern from top to bottom that look like stairs (over one cinderblock, down one cinderblock, over, down, etc). These are generally a result of foundation settling and as long as the cracks aren't more than a centimeter or so in size, they probably aren't an issue.

Again, those are just rules of thumb, and certainly don't forgo a professional opinion for anything I have to say on the issue... :)