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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    2,797

    Default Damage to Frozen Foundaion / Slab

    Thought I'd ask for a "second opinion" on this one:

    1) Two flat brick veneer structure in Chicago, built sometime in the late 50s early 60, shallow basement (about 4 feet below grade), CMUs above that at least to the basement ceiling, above that I can't tell.

    2) Design has almost no overhang at the eaves, water (and a lot of it) has been running down the sides of the building (likely from obstructed/frozen gutters) and has been entering over the top of the foundation wall at windows, windowsills and lower portions of windows in basement are badly deteriorated.

    3) The building was left unheated over at least one previous winter.

    4) There a number of garden variety, vertical, hairline foundation cracks, mostly at straps for the foundation forms.

    5) At the front of the building (circled location in first picture) there is a half-inch wide vertical crack in the foundation wall (third picture) which extends downwards at the interior to the slab . From the intersection of the crack in the wall and the slab a 20 foot long crack projects out into the slab (fourth picture). The two sides of the slab crack are not vertically displaced from each other.

    6) I've never seen exactly this pattern, and I'm wondering if it's possible that all of water running down the front of the building infiltrated under the slab, and lifted it when the soil under the building when it froze due to the buildings unheated condition.

    7) Be that as it may, I'm a bit uncertain as to my recommendation.

    Normally I would suggest a foundation contractor come in and epoxy/polyurethane the cracks in the foundation wall (which are very typical of this kind of foundation) - but I'm a little leery of the way the same crack projects out of the slab

    OTOH I'm not seeing any evidence at the slab (other than the crack in the slab itself) of significant heaving or differential displacement on its two sides. Nor am I seeing anything above the top of the foundation wall at either the interior or exterior that suggest problems, just a rather wide foundation crack with no displacement at the two sides, and no differences in width to give me reason to suppose there is either a sinking or or heaving of the foundation at that location) - so I have the feeling that if I called for an SE they're going to end up asking me why the heck they are there.

    Still, that crack bothers me.

    Comments?

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    Michael Thomas
    Paragon Property Services Inc., Chicago IL
    http://paragoninspects.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Charlotte NC
    Posts
    2,304

    Default Re: Damage to Frozen Foundaion / Slab

    Michael, I know you are just looking for a sounding board to confirm your thoughts, so here is my input.

    If the crack worries you it will worry the next HI. The amount you are paid for the inspection does not cover lost sleep.

    It is time to pass the batton to a SE. The 1/2" crack does justify it.

    JMHO


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    2,797

    Default Re: Damage to Frozen Foundaion / Slab

    Quote Originally Posted by Vern Heiler View Post
    If the crack worries you it will worry the next HI. The amount you are paid for the inspection does not cover lost sleep.
    A very good answer, actually.

    Thanks for the perspective.

    Michael Thomas
    Paragon Property Services Inc., Chicago IL
    http://paragoninspects.com

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