: The ground should slope away from the foundation with at least a 6-inch drop over 10 feet.
The presence of these cracks typically indicates that one section of the wall is moving at a different rate than the adjacent section. stair-step cracks in outside walls
But Eleanor knew better. Houses don’t just settle. They remember. : The ground should slope away from the
While stair-step cracks may seem like a cosmetic issue, they can indicate more significant problems with a building's structure or foundation. If left unaddressed, these cracks can: Houses don’t just settle
She started digging at night. Not the soil—the past. In a mildewed box in the basement, beneath Christmas ornaments from the Johnson administration, she found her grandmother’s diary. The entries were terse, domestic. Canned pickles. Edward’s cough. Rain. Then, halfway through the book, the handwriting changed. It grew cramped, slanting uphill as if trying to climb off the page.
: The primary cause; happens when soil beneath the foundation shifts or compresses unevenly.
Stair-Step Cracks in Walls: What They Mean and When to Worry