Cracking walls are concerning no matter which direction they travel. However, different cracks can have different causes depending on whether they are diagonal, vertical, or horizontal. Stair-step cracks or vertical cracks in your walls may have a few different causes.

WHAT IS CAUSING THOSE VERTICAL OR STAIR-STEP CRACKS?

Foundation Settlement

If your home was built on weak soil or rests on soil that has eroded due to washout or dry out, the dirt cannot support your foundation's weight. As the soil fails, the foundation will start to sink and settle, causing cracks to appear. Vertical cracks that are wider at the top or bottom are a good indication that your foundation is settling. Stair-step cracks in your brick exterior is another foundation settlement symptom that should prompt you to call a foundation repair specialist right away. Carefully monitor and measure any cracks that you see in your walls. Make sure they don't expand enough to hold the width of a dime or grow wider on one end than the other. When the cracks in the walls start to widen, that's almost always a sign that you need foundation repair.

Fortress uses foundation piers, either helical piers or push piers, to repair foundation

settlement and stop those stair-step or vertical cracks from getting worse. Helical piers stabilize your foundation by pushing into the soil under your house with a helical blade and potentially lifting your foundation back to its original state. Push piers transfer your home's weight from the weak soil to the bedrock below, also stopping your foundation from sinking and lifting it back up.

If you’re looking for contracting experts in Ferrum, Boones Mill, Callaway, Glade Hill, Penhook, Rocky Mount, Union Hall, and the surrounding areas, look no further than Fortress Foundation Solutions. We are the premier foundation repair and waterproofing professionals!

Call us today at 1-800-638-7048 or contact us online for a free estimate!