Cracking in foundation

[rturanc]

So, I have an "interesting" garage. It's two stories with the bottom being a cinder block shed and the top being the single car garage with concrete floor. You can probably understand why a sound foundation is important to me.

I have cracking in all four corners of the garage, all similar to what you see in the picture. The cracks have gotten bigger over the years. Two questions:

1. Is the lack of gutters the likely root cause of the problem?

2. Are there any ways to anchor the blocks to one another? I'm not convinced that gutters + filling in the cracks will be a long term solution.

Thanks for your help.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/831/img00118201108151246.jpg/

 

[930dreamer]

Looks like some ground movement.

 

[Chevy Guy]

Yeah, you definitely have an issue with the ground and from all the moss/mold on the garage it is likely due to drainage.

Where are you located?

 

[cowboyjosh]

x2 on ground movement. Make sure your downspouts drain 5 feet or more away from the foundation and that your lot is properly graded. The cracks are a little bigger then what I like to see, I'd keep an eye on things and take periodic pictures to keep track of the movement.

You might trying to fill or patching the cracks and see if they re-crack, which would confirm if there was more movement.

If your seriously concerned, for a couple hundred bucks, max; you could call a Structural Engineer out to take a look at things and give you a ideas for a proper, permanent, fix.

 

[rturanc]

Thanks for the responses.

Should have mentioned that I'm in northeast Ohio.

No gutters / downspouts, so I think I'll start there, then seal the cracks and keep an eye on them.

I'll get the structural engineer out there if the problem persists.

I do have four adjust-a-posts with 4x4s spanning them for support underneath. This takes away from the shed, but I feel a little better when I pull in the car.

Oh. One more thing to mention. 25% or more of the concrete that made the ceiling of the shed has fallen down (about 1 inch thick chunks), leaving exposed rebar in places. The rebar is holding all the concrete above it in place, though. Yeah, maybe a structural engineer is a good idea.

 

[Zeke]

Steel I beams on lolly columns would be a good idea. Cracking concrete with rebar showing is scary as hell.

 

[cowboyjosh]

I was wondering if your in Ohio; it seems like Ohio and a few other places in the upper Midwest are the only places where they still use block for foundations. In fact in the Columbus MLS when you go to sell your house, there is a checkbox for "poured" or "block" foundation.

Based on your latest post, call a Structural Engineer, it'll be worth the piece of mind. Every house is unique, you can post pictures and what not all day long, but unless I or anyone else sees it in person, we can't see whats going on. I build houses and sometimes if a house develops a "mystery" crack in the stucco or in the foundation we'll enlist the help of a SE just to make sure everything is 'ok and to get a diagnosis in writing.

 

[rturanc]

Sounds like a plan. I'll look into the SE. Thanks, again.

 

[ddawg16]

Just out of curiosity, did you design this or was it done by an engineering firm?

How far are the 4x4's spanning?

How long ago was this built?

 

[stevefasano]

removed due to

 

[rturanc]

I bought the house about 10 years ago. Not sure of the history of the garage. I've been told it was built after the house, which was built in the 50s. Not much later, though, because plywood was not used.

I put the 4x4s in when I bought the house. I put an adjust-a-post towards each corner, about four feet in from the front and back, and about three feet in from the sides. Then the 4x4x8s run width-wise. Overall garage dims are about 24x11. Kinda like this.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/204/captureaft.png/

I'd love to know what's inside the block as far as concrete and rebar. Any way to tell? I can't tell just by looking in the cracks.

 

[cowboyjosh]

Too see if the blocks are backfilled with concrete, take a masonry drill bit and drill a hole in a inconspicuous location, if its solid you'll know. When you know for sure, just use some concrete patch and fill the hole. I don't know any good way to tell if there is rebar but there are some stud type finders that indicate if there is rebar, you might be able to rent one.

 

[ConCretin]

It is going to be difficult for any of us to offer an opinion based on the limited information you have posted. Based on the cracks on all four corners and exposed rebar on the bottom of the slab, I'd be concerned. I'm also not sure your shoring system is goingto be adequate in the event of a - somewhat unlikely -outright failure.

Given the stakes, I'd call that engineer and park outside til he gets there.

 

[wssix99]

1. Is the lack of gutters the likely root cause of the problem?

No. IF you have a water issue, it would be due to bad drainage or poor construction. Even if you put on gutters and diverted it elsewhere, the underlying problem will remain.

2. Are there any ways to anchor the blocks to one another? I'm not convinced that gutters + filling in the cracks will be a long term solution.

If your foundation is moving, this won't help you very much.(You'd really want your walls and foundation to all be tied together.) The forces involved will be greater than what the wall can withstand and you could end up with a more brittle and less stable condition in the wall.

You might try looking up local foundation underpinning contractors. In my area, most will come out and give an assessment from a Professional Engineer for free and will confirm what the source of movement is. The fix may be something as simple as installing improved drainage to something more complex like underpinning the foundation.

 

[KEH]

Are you far enough North for the ground to freeze deeply enough so that freezing and thawing will shift shallow foundations?