Foundation cracks

[Drick]

I have a 5 year old house with an attached garage. The foundation supporting the garage has developed 5 cracks - 4 in the last year. The four most recent cracks are hairline. The fifth is larger, about big enough to get the tip of a pen in. All seem to be growing. Three are spaced about 2 feet apart from each other and the other two are on the opposite wall almost exactly across from the other three.

The house itself is built on ledge. No cracks are visible in the basement for the house foundation. However the garage foundation is not as deep - maybe 4-5 feet to the footers. The property itself is rather wet as the are wetlands all around.

I know its just the garage, but I am concerned that the garage will eventually pull away from the house and I am also considering building over the garage. Four cracks developing within a year seems serious to me. What are your thoughts? Do you think it is serious enough to spend some $$$ and get an engineer out to look at it?

-rick

 

[FloridaOrange]

It does sound like alot in the last year. If you are considering building over the garage definitely have it looked at now.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Toolaholic]

some info

We use soils Engs. all the time in the Bay area. 90 percent compaction before
steel . Settlement cracks run at a 45 degree angle. expansion at 90 degrees
Have a structural Eng. look at it. We have NO info from You. Is this perma frost in bear country or Arizona. Enr. found. or guessed.