It can be quite disconcerting when cracks start showing up in your home. It’s important to remember that most foundation cracks are normal with aging or settling. However, when serious cracks do occur, your home likely needs structural repairs.

To protect your home, it’s best to know ways in which you can determine the presence of serious cracks. Experienced teams like those at Stan Young Drainage, in Kentucky and Ohio, are on hand to share their services that range from waterproofing to foundation repairs.

Today, the home care experts give us three ways to test if there is structural damage from cracks in your home:

• Shape & Direction: Vertical cracks that occur near the zenith where the wall and ceiling intersect could just be a sign of where the foundation settled. However, if you spot a horizontal or diagonal crack, this is a pretty good indication of a serious issue. It could either be caused by the foundation shifting or water damage.
• Doors & Windows: The more common areas where potentially serious cracks happen are near the doorways and windows of a home. A good way to test the seriousness of a crack is by opening and closing internal doors and windows. If they don’t fit well into their frame and there are no visible obstructions, it’s a pretty solid sign of a serious crack and the need for structural repairs.
• Size: While most houses eventually develop some cracks in the foundation, severity can often be determined by the size. Cracks under 3/16 of an inch wide are usually normal and nothing to worry about. However, cracks that wide or larger are big enough to allow moisture into your home, requiring repair for your home’s safety.

If you notice structural damage in your home, it’s time to call in the experts to diagnose. To learn more about cracks, structural repairs, or waterproofing, you can contact Stan Young Drainage at (859) 816-5613 or visit their website.