Staircase cracks follow the mortar joints of a masonry wall, brick or block, forming a stair-step pattern. Because they follow the joints (the weak points of the wall), they trace this characteristic diagonal line.
Common causes
they most often accompany foundation movement or differential settlement of the soil that unbalances the wall footing. Other factors contribute: deficient drainage, frost, roots, poorly compacted backfill, or the absence or failure of control joints in a long stretch of masonry.
Signs to watch for
diagonal cracks following the joints, gradual widening over time, offset between two sections of wall, displaced bricks, doors and windows that stick nearby, water infiltration in the basement below the cracked area.
Why you should not ignore it
a fine, stable crack may be nothing more than shrinkage or slight movement; a crack that widens, shifts or multiplies, on the other hand, signals active movement. It is the progression, width, orientation, displacement, that distinguishes a cosmetic detail from an ongoing structural problem, potentially costly to correct.
What a professional assessment reveals
Staircase cracks follow the masonry joints and often betray foundation movement. An assessment tells benign cracking apart from a structural sign to watch and documents its severity, useful both at purchase and in a latent-defect expertise.
Vous soupconnez ce probleme dans un batiment ?
Une inspection le confirme, le documente et le chiffre, pour decider en connaissance de cause.
Inspection preachat Bilan de sante du batiment (BCA) Demander une soumission
