Fun Facts: As concrete hardens (or as the engineers say, cures) it shrinks and cracks, as a result, all concrete has cracks in it.
One of the most common forms of foundation cracks is the cracks that occur on the tops of the corners of foundations. The cracks can cause a triangular piece of concrete, sometimes called a wedge, to break loose from a foundation.
Most of the time, a cracked corner is not caused by foundation movement. The most common cause is temperature changes. In the summer, the ground is cooler than the air. Because your foundation sits on the ground (and because you air condition our home) your foundation tends to stay much cooler than the air. The difference between the air temperature and the temperature of your foundation will be greatest on hot summer days.
The bricks on your home have a lot of surface area exposed to the air. The bricks are also isolated from your air-conditioned air by insulation. Bricks on the south and west sides of homes catch the hot afternoon sun. In the summer, your bricks will get hotter than the air.
Your bricks heat up and expand while your foundation does not. As the bricks expand, they slide sideways on your foundation. The movement can be just enough for the bricks to pull on the corner of your foundation and crack it loose.
Most of the time, wedge cracks just mean that you home could have used another expansion joint when it was built. Wedge cracks are often not the result of foundation movement.
To repair a wedge crack, have a contractor mortar or epoxy the loose piece back in place. If you are going to do the repair yourself, be careful to match the concrete color. If you use epoxy be careful to avoid getting excess glue on your foundation.
Remember, badly repaired foundation cracks are uglier than unrepaired cracks.
If you think you are having foundation problems, call Advanced Foundation Repair for your complimentary quote today.