{"id":801,"date":"2025-05-30T12:40:20","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T16:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/?p=801"},"modified":"2025-11-26T06:48:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T11:48:29","slug":"what-causes-foundation-cracks-and-how-to-fix-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/what-causes-foundation-cracks-and-how-to-fix-them\/","title":{"rendered":"What Causes Foundation Cracks (and How to Fix Them)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Your home\u2019s foundation is quite literally what everything else stands on\u2014so when cracks appear, it\u2019s time to pay attention. Not all foundation cracks are cause for panic, but they should never be ignored. Here\u2019s what causes them and how to fix them before they turn into a bigger problem.<\/p>\n\n

Common Causes of Foundation Cracks<\/strong><\/h4>\n
    \n\t
  1. \nSoil Movement and Settling\n<\/strong>Over time, the soil beneath your home shifts due to moisture, compaction, or natural settling. This movement can cause the foundation to settle unevenly, leading to cracks.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n\t
    1. \nHydrostatic Pressure\n<\/strong>When water builds up in the soil around your foundation\u2014especially after heavy rains\u2014it exerts pressure against the walls. This is called hydrostatic pressure, and it\u2019s one of the most common causes of horizontal or stair-step cracks in basement walls.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n\t
      1. \nPoor Drainage\n<\/strong>Improper grading or clogged gutters can lead to water pooling around your foundation. This not only causes pressure but can erode soil and create voids under your home\u2019s footing.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n\t
        1. \nConstruction Issues or Material Shrinkage\n<\/strong>Sometimes, the issue stems from how the foundation was originally poured or the natural shrinkage of concrete as it cures. These cracks may be minor but should still be evaluated.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Types of Cracks and What They Mean<\/strong><\/h4>\n
            \n\t
          • \n

            Hairline Cracks<\/strong> \u2013 Often due to concrete shrinkage; monitor for spreading.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\t

          • \n

            Vertical Cracks<\/strong> \u2013 Common and usually less serious, but should still be sealed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\t

          • \n

            Diagonal or Stair-Step Cracks<\/strong> \u2013 Can indicate foundation movement and may require structural repair.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\t

          • \n

            Horizontal Cracks<\/strong> \u2013 Often the most serious, typically caused by hydrostatic pressure.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            How Green Home Solutions of West Des Moines, IA Can Help<\/strong><\/h4>\n

            At Green Home Solutions of West Des Moines, IA, we don\u2019t just patch cracks\u2014we get to the root cause. Our foundation repair services include:<\/p>\n\n

              \n\t
            • \n

              Expert inspection and diagnostics<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\t

            • \n

              Foundation sealing and waterproofing<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\t

            • \n

              Drainage improvements and sump pump installation<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\t

            • \n

              Structural crack repair using long-lasting solutions<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Don\u2019t ignore cracks in your foundation.<\/strong> If you\u2019ve spotted one, schedule a no-obligation assessment with our basement waterproofing team today. Early action can save you thousands in repairs\u2014and protect your home\u2019s value long-term.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Your home\u2019s foundation is quite literally what everything else stands on\u2014so when cracks appear, it\u2019s time to pay attention. Not all foundation cracks are cause for panic, but they should never be ignored. Here\u2019s what causes them and how to fix them before they turn into a bigger problem. Common Causes of Foundation Cracks Soil […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2025\/06\/Basement-Blog-1-May-30th-600x400.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2025\/06\/Basement-Blog-1-May-30th-600x600.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"qcampbell","author_link":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/author\/qcampbell\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=801"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":950,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/801\/revisions\/950"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenhomesolutions.com\/west-des-moines-ia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}