WATCH FOR FOUNDATION CRACKS WITH DROUGHT                                

No doubt, it has been a dry summer! In dry weather, all homes experience some seasonal movement.  Foundation and brick cracks will widen during dry weather.  Additionally, you will start to see interior wall and ceiling cracks.

When settlement cracks develop, different portions of the foundation can settle at different rates.  This can cause the collapse of underground plumbing and downspout piping.  These pipes can then leak along the foundation.

Foundation cracks in clay soil - Cincinnati

​According to Michael Montgomery with the Buyer's Protection Group, watering along the foundation may prevent settlement and control movement during dry weather.  Owners with sump pumps may unplug the pump to allow some moisture to remain under the foundation.  Just remember to immediately plug it back in when you get some rain.

 

​If you have significant cracks that emerge, check with a licensed structural engineer for drawings on how the repair should be done.