Foundation Crack Checker — Is My Crack Serious? | Shreveport, LA

Most cracks are not emergencies, but some are, and the difference comes down to width, direction, movement, and what else is happening in the house. Answer five quick questions below and you will get a clear, honest next step, plus simple ways to watch the crack until a professional sees it.

Call (318) 585-2003 – Free Inspection

Check Your Crack

Crack Types, in Plain Language

A crack tells a story, and the shape of the crack is the first chapter. Vertical cracks run straight up and down. They are the most common, and when they are hairline thin and stable, they often come from the concrete curing and shrinking as it dried, which is a normal part of a young foundation settling into itself. Diagonal cracks run at a slant, often from a corner of a door or window, and they usually mean one part of the foundation has settled a little more than the part next to it. By themselves they are a watch item, but if they keep growing, they graduate to a professional look.

Horizontal cracks run sideways along a wall, and they deserve more respect, because they often mean soil is pushing against the wall from outside. In a block or brick wall, the same pressure shows up as stair-step cracks that follow the mortar joints like a staircase. Either pattern, especially with one side pushed in or out, is a good reason to book the free inspection. The pattern alone never proves the cause, though: a vertical crack with water pouring through it matters more than a stair-step crack unchanged for five years, which is why the checker weighs width, pattern, movement, and other signs together.

Why Shreveport Homes Crack

The ground under Shreveport is the main character in this story. Most of Caddo Parish sits on expansive clay, a soil that swells when it soaks up water and shrinks when it dries out. A long dry spell pulls moisture from the clay, the ground shrinks and pulls away from the foundation, and cracks open. Then heavy rain returns, the clay swells and pushes back, and the foundation gets squeezed from the other side. That shrink and swell cycle repeats every year, and homes in South Highlands, Broadmoor, Cedar Grove, and Queensborough all live with it, along with homes across Bossier City, Benton, Haughton, Greenwood, Keithville, and Blanchard.

Drainage decides how hard the cycle hits your house. Gutters that dump water at the foundation, ground that slopes toward the house, and low spots where water ponds all keep the clay wet on one side and dry on the other, which is the uneven movement that cracks walls. Big trees add to it: a mature oak drinks a lot of water from the soil in a dry spell, so the ground shrinks fastest near the roots. Patching the crack alone never fixes this. The lasting fix deals with the movement and the water together, which is why an inspection looks at the yard and gutters as well as the wall. If water is part of your picture, the drainage correction service and the services overview explain how that side of the work fits in.

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How to Monitor a Crack the Right Way

Watching a crack is easy, and it gives the inspector exactly what they need: a timeline. Start with a photo. Hold a coin beside the crack so the width has scale, get the whole crack in the frame, and record the date, either in the photo details or on a note in the shot. Take the same photo from the same spot every few weeks. Then draw a short pencil line across each end of the crack and date the lines. If the crack grows past a line, you have proof of movement.

Write down what else you notice, even if it seems small: a door that sticks only in the summer, a floor that feels springy near one wall, a gap that opens around a window frame. Patterns matter more than single events. Do not paint or patch over a crack you are monitoring, because the patch hides the movement you are trying to track, and do not caulk a crack that is letting water in and call it fixed. Keep the record, keep the crack visible, and let the inspection decide what it means. The width guide below is a handy reference while you watch.

Which Cracks Are Usually Cosmetic

Some cracks really are just cosmetic. Hairline vertical cracks in a young foundation, thin cracks in cured concrete, and straight drywall cracks above a door corner often come from normal curing, lumber shrinkage, or seasonal humidity swings rather than foundation movement. The hallmarks are small width, a stable size over a year or more, dry surfaces, and no other symptoms. If that describes your crack, watching it with dated photos is a reasonable plan.

But “usually cosmetic” is not a promise, and this page will not call any crack safe. A crack that looks harmless can still be the first sign of movement, and the only way to know is an inspection with elevation readings. The safe rule is simple: watch a quiet crack, and get a professional look at a crack that is wide, growing, wet, or keeping company with other symptoms. That rule costs nothing, because the inspection is free, and it keeps a small problem from becoming a big one. If the crack is in a brick or block wall and follows the joints in a stair-step, read our stair-step crack guide for more detail on that pattern, and if you want the full repair picture, see the foundation crack repair and structural repair pages.

Call (318) 585-2003 – Free Inspection

When to Call Right Away

Most cracks can wait for a scheduled visit, but a few signs mean you should call promptly instead of watching. A wall that is bowing, bulging, or leaning inward is one. A crack that suddenly appears wide, or widens fast over days rather than months, is another. Water pouring in through a crack, a floor that drops noticeably, or a door that suddenly will not close are all in the same group. These signs point to movement that is active right now. If you are unsure which group your crack falls into, call and describe it: we would rather hear about it early than after it grows.

What Happens at a Free Inspection

The inspection starts with your photos and notes, which is why the monitoring steps above matter so much. Then we walk the home, checking floors, doors, windows, and every crack you found, and we take elevation readings that show how much each part of the foundation has moved. When the home has a crawl space, we look underneath at the beams, joists, and supports, because what is happening below often explains what you see above. You will hear the likely cause in plain language, what happens if it is left alone, and what the repair would involve, with a firm written price and no obligation. Every qualifying repair carries our 20-year structural warranty, explained in full before any work starts. Homes in Shreveport (71106), Bossier City (71111 and 71112), Benton (71006), Haughton (71037), Greenwood (71033), Keithville (71047), and Blanchard (71009) get the same visit: honest readings, a clear plan, and your decision from there. Our Bossier City service area page has the local detail for our neighbors across the river.

Call (318) 585-2003 – Free Inspection

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my foundation crack serious?

It depends on width, direction, movement, and other signs. Cracks over 1/4 inch wide, horizontal or stair-step cracks, cracks with one side pushed out, and cracks that keep growing all point toward a professional check. Use the checker above for a first read, then confirm it with a free inspection.

What crack width means trouble?

Hairline cracks under 1/16 inch are often cosmetic and stable. Cracks from 1/16 to 1/4 inch deserve close watching. Cracks over 1/4 inch should be checked by a professional, and cracks over 1/2 inch, or with one side pushed out, should be checked promptly.

Are horizontal cracks worse than vertical cracks?

Often, yes. Horizontal cracks can mean soil is pushing against the wall, and stair-step cracks in block or brick can mean settlement. Vertical hairline cracks are more often tied to curing and shrinkage. Pattern is one clue among several, so width, movement, and other signs matter too.

Should I fill a foundation crack myself?

Filling a hairline, stable, dry crack for appearance is usually fine, but do not seal a crack you are monitoring, because the patch hides movement. Never treat filler as a fix for a wide, growing, or wet crack, since the cause behind it will keep working.

How do I track whether a crack is growing?

Photograph it with a coin beside it for scale, draw dated pencil lines across each end, and take the same photo from the same spot every few weeks. If the crack grows past a pencil line, you have clear proof of movement to show the inspector.

Can a crack let water into my home?

Yes. Even a narrow crack can let water through when the soil outside is saturated, and water entry can damage wood, finishes, and air quality over time. If water is coming through a crack, the inspection needs to look at drainage as well as the foundation itself.

Does the checker replace an inspection?

No. The checker gives screening guidance based on what you can see from the surface. Only an on-site inspection with elevation readings can determine the cause of a crack and whether repair is needed.

Visit or Call Pelican Foundation Repair

Pelican Foundation Repair
6118 Fairfield Ave, Shreveport, LA 71106, USA
Phone: 318-585-2003
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
Website: foundationrepairshreveport.com
Serving Shreveport, Bossier City, Blanchard, Greenwood, Keithville, Benton, Stonewall, Haughton, Red Chute, Eastwood, Mooringsport, Minden, and Ruston, LA.