Floor Pad Cracking & Home Inspections - Abovegradehomeinspections.ca

1. Floor Pad Cracking & Home Inspections A common question asked by many clients while having their home inspection performed is whether floor pad cracks are a serious problem? In most cases your home inspector will likely say no. It is not uncommon at all for floor pad cracks to develop, especially within the first few years that a home is built while the concrete is still curing. Identifying Problematic Floor Pad Cracks During Home Inspections Small hair line cracks (less than a few millimetres in width) are typical and usually do not present any problems for most homes and their owners. Although some buyers or home owners may view this opinion with some skepticism, it is normal for cracks to develop and again they generally do not cause any serious problems. There are some rare cases where floor pad cracks can be problematic and also be an indication of possible underlying problems. Cracks which are more than a few millimetres in thickness with evidence of heaving or differential settlement should be monitored very closely and if movement persists it will likely need to be addressed by a concrete specialist. How Your Home Inspector Can Help Tackle Floor Pad Crack Things like poor installation of substrate or high water tables can cause problems and lead to excessive cracking and potential structural problems. Sometimes alternative water drainage strategies need to be implemented, or in cases of poor quality construction, entire floors will need to be removed and redone. A general rule of thumb for thickness of a floor pad is at least three inches. So if you observe some floor pad cracking during your home inspection, try not to get too excited as its most likely a normal scenario and nothing to get worked up about. Be sure to consult with your home inspector and listen to what they have to say before jumping to conclusions. Of course if your home inspector is competent they will let you know whether or not you really have something to address. http://www.abovegradehomeinspections.ca/