"The house is just settling" is true for small cracks in the first years after a house is built. It is not an explanation for movement that keeps going.
Normal settling
- Hairline drywall cracks that appear once and do not grow.
- A thin vertical crack in a poured basement wall.
- Minor gaps in trim in the first few years.
Signs the foundation is still moving
- Doors and windows that start sticking, or latches that no longer line up.
- Diagonal cracks above door frames that come back after you patch them.
- Floors that slope toward one side of the house.
- Gaps between walls and the ceiling or floor.
- Stair-step cracks in block or brick that keep widening.
- Chimney pulling away from the house.
One sign on its own may mean little. Several together, or anything getting worse, is worth an inspection.
What causes it in West Michigan
- Soil that shrinks and swells. Clay changes volume as it wets and dries.
- Water washing out soil under a footing, often from a downspout that dumps next to the house.
- Poorly compacted fill under part of the house, common with additions.
- Frost. Footings that are too shallow can move as the ground freezes and thaws.
How it is fixed
Settling is fixed by supporting the footing on firmer soil below, usually with steel push piers or helical piers. Sometimes the house can be lifted back toward level at the same time. See foundation repair.