Is this a sign of foundation damage or something? (design, engineers)

[azamsharp]

Someone in this post thread suggested that if the crack is parallel then it is *not* an indication of foundation problem. I saw one such crack on the ceiling of my games room. The crack runs parallel to the ceiling. The ceiling is inverted V shape and not the flat ceiling. Here is the picture. Is this just the straps inside the ceiling coming out or paint is coming out?

https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Photos/photo%20%281%29.JPG?w=e844c8ef (broken link)

[North Beach Person]

Didn't you guys just have an earthquake? My windows (100 years old) are now a little tighter in the frame since the one we had in VA/MD a couple weeks ago.

[azamsharp]

Earthquake!!! Here is Houston!!! NOPE!

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by azamsharp

Earthquake!!! Here is Houston!!! NOPE!

Ok, I had heard of a Texas one recently. Looked and it was north Texas.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by whogo

Usually a crack parallel to the floor and ceiling does not indicate a foundation problem. It is the approximately 45 degree cracks that are an indication of possible foundation problems. In brick mortar they show up as "stairstep" cracks

That is not true, foundation movement can result in cracks running in any direction, depending on the direction of movement and orientation of the building materials.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by azamsharp

I went around the house and check for cracks and could not find any (outside). One of the side of my house is covered with small stones (decoration). Two sides are grass and plants and one side (backyard) is a stone porch.

So do I have to water the outside walls of the house. All the four walls.

No you don't need to water the walls, you need to water the soil around the foundation.

During droughts like we have had, the soil dries out and shrinks, resulting in foundation movement. You can combat this by running a drip irrigation hose all the way around your house and watering it regulary to try and keep the soil at a constant state of moisture content. Watering the lawn regularly is often enough to do this. But where you don't have lawn in the gravel area that will dry out and shrink the most if you don't provide some supplemental watering. Areas covered with paving, concrete, patio's over them do not dry out as rapidly, but you should still water the area around them occasionally to try and keep soil from drying out and shrinking.

A friend of mine recently asked for my opinion as an architect of what was happening with her house. She has had large cracks appear in the walls and ceiling at one end of her house. The soil around the foundation at that end of her house is covered in gravel so she has not been watering it at all. Her driveways and side grading normally divert a lot of water over that area during rainfalls. Since we have had no rain in ages and she has not watered the area, the soil has shrunk a lot, you can see the cracks in her driveway and sidewalks around that end of the house. Her foundation has settled and opened up cracks as large as 1/4" in the walls and ceiling at that end of her house.

[azamsharp]

@CptnRn Thanks!

I will buy soaker hose and it should do the job. I do have sprinklers all around the house which I run 2 times per week. But I run it for very long (close to 2.5 hours). Sprinkler has 6 stations so each stations gets some water. Also, I run it at 8:00 PM so there is no sunlight to take away the water.

[Seoid]

Originally Posted by azamsharp

Just went to 4 different stores and they are all out of SOAKER HOSES. Can I use a regular hose to water around the foundation?

We had to replace one of ours recently so I know it's hard to find them. Check places like Big Lots and stop into any big box or Home Depot/Lowes you pass. We were able to find ours that way.

Don't let the soaker hoses get too dry- ours split when we turned it on one evening- hence the need to replace.

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by azamsharp

Just went to 4 different stores and they are all out of SOAKER HOSES. Can I use a regular hose to water around the foundation?

Have you tried Lowe's?

DH bought a couple at Lowe's on Hwy 6/FM 1092 a couple of days ago.

[xtalman]

This is what I use to water my foundation:

Timer:
Orbit Timer

Drip Irrigation Starter Kit:
Rain Bird Faucet Kit


Timer attaches to the outside hose bib. Drip irrigation kit attaches to the timer, and the emitter tubing encircles the house, about 2 feet away from the foundation. Water slowly leaks out from the emitters when the timer allows. Timer automatically waters the foundation on my watering days.

The emitter tubing seems more durable than soaker hoses. Mine has lasted at least a year, through temperatures of ~20-110 degrees. My soaker hoses fell apart quickly.

By the way, I find that if I need adapters/fittings/irrigation parts, the Mr. Landscaper drip irrigation stuff at Lowes is pretty good. I think some of their stuff is better than the Rain Bird stuff I use now.

Edit: Didn't know Mister Landscaper had a web site.