Water on the basement floor, a long crack across a block wall and a wall that leans in are the most common signs. Here is what to look for and when to get a free inspection.
Syracuse averages about 127.8 inches of snow a year and has averaged about 134 days a year below freezing. Snowmelt soaks slow draining glacial till and lake clay soils, then the soil freezes and pushes on basement walls. About 43 percent of the city's homes were built in 1939 or earlier, many on stone or early block walls.
Signs in the basement
The basement is where most Syracuse foundation problems show first. Walk it with a flashlight and look for these.
Water on the floor. A puddle after the snow melts or after heavy rain. Note where it starts. Water along the edge of the floor usually comes in where the wall meets the floor. Water in the middle may come up through a crack or an old drain.
A wet line around the edge. A dark, damp band where the walls meet the floor, all the way around or in one corner. This is the most common leak in Syracuse.
A long sideways crack in a block wall. A crack running along one mortar line, often three or four rows down from the top. This often means the soil outside is pushing the wall in.
A wall that bows or leans. The middle of the wall sits in further than the top and bottom. Or the top row of block has slid in past the rows below.
Stair-step cracks. Cracks that zigzag along the mortar lines of block or brick.
Crumbling mortar. In stone walls, mortar that turns to sand when you rub it, or stones that have shifted or fallen out.
White powder or flaky paint. Salt left on the wall by water passing through, or paint that bubbles and peels off.
A musty smell or mold. Damp air and mold on boxes, wood or drywall in a finished basement.
A busy sump pump. A pump that runs all spring, or a pit that fills fast after every rain.
Signs upstairs
The rest of the house moves with the foundation. Look for:
Cracks over doors and windows, especially ones that keep coming back after you patch them
Doors that stick, drag or will not latch, where they used to close fine
Windows that are hard to open or close
Floors that slope or feel soft, often over an addition or crawl space
Gaps between the wall and the ceiling, or between the floor and the baseboard
Cracked tile near outside walls
Signs outside
Walk around the house after a rain or a thaw:
Cracks in the foundation wall above the ground
Stair-step cracks in brick
A chimney that leans away from the house
Gaps where the porch, steps or stoop meet the house
Soil that slopes toward the house, or puddles next to the wall
Downspouts that dump water right next to the foundation
Gutters that overflow, often clogged with ice or leaves
Why these signs are so common in Syracuse
Syracuse homes face more water and cold than most. The city averages about 127.8 inches of snow a year, more than any city on a ranking of the snowiest in the country. It has averaged about 134 days a year below freezing. Snowmelt soaks the soil around the basement, and the soil around here can be slow to drain, with clay layers in some lake plain soils topping 35 percent.
Wet soil freezes and swells and pushes on the walls. Then it thaws and soaks again. Over many winters, that is what opens cracks and bends block walls. Add a housing stock where about 43 percent of homes were built in 1939 or earlier, and you get a lot of old basements doing hard work.
Which signs need a look soon
Call soon if you see:
A wall that bows, leans or has a crack with one side sticking out
A crack wider than about a quarter inch, or one that grew since you last looked
Water coming in every time it rains or thaws
A long sideways crack across a block wall
Doors and cracks upstairs that started at the same time as basement changes
Usually cosmetic, but keep an eye on:
Thin, dry, up and down cracks in a poured wall
Small cracks in an old plaster ceiling
A little white powder on a wall that never gets wet
If you are not sure, that is what the free inspection is for. The crew tells you what is serious, what is not, and what it would cost to fix.
How to track a sign yourself
Mark the ends of any crack with a pencil line and the date.
Take a photo with a coin or ruler next to it.
Check again after a big thaw and after the hardest freeze.
Write down when water shows up and where.
That record helps the inspector see if things are still moving.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to check my basement in Syracuse?
Right after a big spring thaw or a heavy rain, and again late in winter after the hardest freezes. That is when water and frost show you where the weak spots are.
Is white powder on my basement wall a problem?
It is called efflorescence. It is salt left behind when water passes through the wall and dries. The powder itself is harmless, but it tells you water is getting through that spot.
How serious is one sideways crack in a block wall?
It deserves a look. A long sideways crack three or four rows down from the top is often the first sign a block wall is starting to bow in. Caught early, it is usually a simpler fix.
Can I check if my wall is bowing myself?
Yes. Hold a long level or a straight board against the wall from floor to ceiling. If there is a gap behind the middle, or the top of the wall is in from the bottom, the wall has moved.
My house is over 100 years old. Are some cracks just normal?
Some are. Old houses have settled for a century, and small dry cracks that never change are common. What matters is change. New cracks, growing cracks and new water are the signs to act on.
What should I do while I wait for an inspection?
Point downspouts away from the house, keep the sump pit clear and the pump plugged in, move boxes off the floor near wet spots, and take photos of cracks with the date.
Get your free inspection
If you saw one of the signs above, a free inspection tells you what it means and what it costs to fix. Call (315) 623-3956 or send the short form, and a local foundation crew will call you back, usually the same day.