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.
That just looks like weathering. I have some similar cracks (… that I really do need to get to sooner or later…), it just needs repointed to prevent further water intrusion (take out the old mortar and put new mortar in).
I would not bother your insurance company with this.
That’s a huge relief. The stairstep pattern following the big crack had me worried.
Thank you so much!
One thing I’ve learned since becoming a home owner ~5 years ago… There’s a lot of stuff on the Internet that tries to get you to a point of hysteria.
https://www.premiumwaterproofing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/stairstep-cracks.jpg
https://www.du-west.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bulog1-1920w.jpg
This is the kind of stair step crack you need to worry about. It’s a big gap, many blocks, etc. It’s a sign part of your foundation is sinking.
What you have is a block missing some mortar and a crack below (which can happen if water gets into the block … which happens when you’re missing mortar). You can have someone look at it, but I think an honest contractor would tell you “get it repointed or do it yourself, keep an eye on it.”
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
