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INDICATORS
OF FOUNDATION MOVEMENT
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Foundation Movement General |
| Few isolated cracks at weak points in structure |
| Cracks taper from top to bottom |
| Cracking is continuous through brick veneer |
| Cracks exceed 1/8" wide |
| Cracking occurs both externally and internally at the same location |
| Cracking consistent with a pattern of movement |
| Doors and windows stick |
| Wallpaper rucks at corners and between walls and ceiling |
| Gaps appear between floors and walls |
| Roof shingles displaced, or other signs of distortion in roof |
| Drain and services disrupted |
| Walls measurably out of level or out of plumb |
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Movement Due to Shrinking Clay |
| Cracks first appear after prolonged period of dry weather |
| Cracks open in summer and close in winter |
| Largest cracks in south-facing walls or near trees |
| Obvious damage to garden walls and other structures on shallow foundations |
| Cracking in asphalt paving around trees |
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Source:
Has Your Home Got Cracks? Institution of Civil Engineers
and Building Research Establishment, London, UK
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