Foundation walls
Showing results 1-12 of 13
Concrete floor slabs – not enough ground clearance to floor level
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Age of the house (limited ground clearance was permitted in the past)
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Sufficient clearance was not provided when the slab was poured
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The surrounding ground level has been built up over time
Crack(s) in foundation walls
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Settlement due to ground subsidence or shrinking/expansion of clay soils
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Insufficient depth of footings for ground conditions
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Poor quality concrete or insufficient concrete cover of the reinforcing steel resulting in corrosion of the reinforcing causing the concrete to crack
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Frost damage – water that gets into small cracks in concrete expands as it freezes, enlarging the cracks
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The wall has been undermined by basement excavations
Rust stains on concrete/concrete block foundation walls
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Poor quality concrete absorbing water that rusts the reinforcing, which in turns causes the concrete to spall or crack, allowing in more water
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The reinforcing was installed too close to the outer surface of the concrete
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The building is close to the sea and the concrete is of poorer quality
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The concrete is low strength
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Moisture is rising up from the ground
Drummy plaster in foundation walls
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Loss of bond between the cement plaster and the concrete
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Corrosion of reinforcing in the concrete
Blocked ventilation openings in foundation walls
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The soil level has been built up, covering ventilation openings
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Paving covers or partly covers the ventilation openings
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Planting and foliage restrict air flow through ventilation openings
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There is an insufficient number or size of ventilation openings for the subfloor area
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There is a build up of paint on ventilation grilles reducing air flow
Subfloor – ponding water
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Surface water flowing underneath the building if the subfloor ground level is lower than the ground or paving outside building perimeter, or if the ground slopes towards the building instead of away from it
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Blocked or overflowing stormwater drain or gulley trap discharging water under the house
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Leaking drain or waste pipe in the subfloor space
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High water table so water does not readily drain away
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Water getting through a retaining wall
Rust stains on inside of foundation walls
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Poor quality concrete absorbing water which rusts the reinforcing, which in turns causes concrete to spall or crack allowing in more water
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Reinforcing installed too close to the outer surface of the concrete
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Low strength concrete
Moisture entry through retaining foundation walls
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Ground moisture has moved through a retaining wall as it is unlikely the wall will have been waterproofed, and there is: no perforated drainage pipe at the base of the wall for ground water removal no drainage gravel above the drain, resulting in the drainage pipe becoming blocked with silt no filter fabric between drainage gravel and the drain, resulting in the drainage pipe becoming blocked with silt the drainage behind the wall has stopped working due to the pipe being blocked or the drainage gravel becoming filled with fine soil material
Lightweight aerated concrete panels cracked
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Impact damage
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Timber frame movement
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Panels at the end of their serviceable life
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Insufficient framing behind
Tree is damaging spouting, cladding, foundations
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Growth
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Wrong tree selected for location
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Tree roots cracking foundation walls
Cracks in the mortar and/or bricks
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No control joints incorporated in wall
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Differential settlement of the building caused by swelling/shrinking of clay soils and inadequate foundations and indicated by cracking through the mortar stepped across the face of the wall
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Building subjected to vibration movement such as earthquake, high wind
Concrete blockwork – cracks in the mortar and/or blocks
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No control joints incorporated in wall
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Differential settlement of the building caused by swelling/shrinking of clay soils and inadequate foundations and indicated by cracking through the mortar stepped across the face of the wall
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Building subjected to vibration movement such as earthquake, high wind
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Wall unreinforced
