NEWPORT NEWS | HAMPTON | WILLIAMSBURG | SUFFOLK | GLOUCESTER
Call or Text a Structural Engineer at: 757.821.7336
Hours: Mon -
Tidewater Structural
E N G I N E E R S P L L C
DPOR License No. 0407007180
RAPID . RESPONSIVE . ECONOMICAL DESIGN
PAY ONLY FOR 100% SATISFACTION
CALL OR TEXT 757.821.7336
Tidewater Structural Engineers PLLC
1245 Cedar Road, Suite G-
Chesapeake, VA 23322
DPOR License No. 0407007180
NEWPORT NEWS | HAMPTON | WILLIAMSBURG | SUFFOLK | GLOUCESTER
FOUNDATION SETTLEMENT
AND WALL CRACKING (PART 1 of 3)
CRACKING -
The crack has always been there…or has it? Perhaps you've noticed it getting worse, maybe you’re trying to sell your home and it has become an issue, or maybe you’re just concerned about your biggest capital investment and your family’s well being.
First of all, this condition is often not as bad as homeowners are led to believe, so it is usually in your best interest to pay for an independent evaluation from a professional structural engineer. Cracks generally arise because you have a concrete footing supporting your home that has fully cracked in at least one location, sometimes in multiple locations. This is particularly common in older homes, but can occur in new homes as well. Once fully cracked, your footing can move somewhat independently on either side of the crack. This movement could be either a rotation, or independent vertical movement, or both. Of course your exterior brick and interior finishes are supported by the cracked footing and so will follow right along with their own crack as well. Other structural problems can also cause this type of cracking, but this is the more common cause. While this problem can progress to a serious structural concern, if caught early enough, the problem is generally resolved relatively economically. Tidewater Structural Engineers can provide an independent expert assessment that gets at the heart of the problem and provides clear economical recommendations.
