Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 4/29/2011

Question
QUESTION: Is this crack likely due to settling? My house was built in 1999. We purchased it in 2009 and this crack was not there or was missed by the inspection. What is the best way to fix it?

ANSWER: Hi Jenn, it very well could be a settlement crack by looking at the left side of the window sill.  It appears to be lower than the right side of the crack.  If this is a brick veneer over a wood framed wall it's possible that the ties holding the brick to the wall have come loose allowing the brick to drop during extreme weather conditions.  Another possibility is that there was a smaller crack at one time and water got inside and then froze making the crack bigger as the ice expanded.  You didn't mention where you lived so Im not sure about the weather factor.  One thing that worries me is the roof tie-in along this wall, the settling or moving bricks could cause your roof flashing to be compromised allowing water to get inside..look around the inside ceiling areas that are below the crack and see if there is any sign showing the ceiling or wall has been wet.

 As far as repairs go? Your biggest problem here may not be the settling or movement of the brick but the future problems arising from water intrusion through this crack.  There are several good mortar repair products in the masonry section of the big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes..or at any decent lumberyard or hardware store.  The ones I like come in caulking tubes so you can pump this rubberized mortar deep into the crack thus sealing it properly.  After pumping the caulking in, tool the joint with a cheap joint tool dipped in soapy water.  Inspect the area along this side of the roof for other potential leak locations and caulking them with a roofing mastic (found in the roofing section of the store).  

As far as the brick itself goes? If you can grab the sill brick and move the brick or if the whole panel seems loose you may need a roofer and a mason to remove and repair the brick and then repair the roof..if the structure itself is settling the window frame will be out of whack and the window will not open and close properly. If this is the case then an inspection needs to be done inside the roof cavity of the area where the roof abuts the brick to look for reasons as to why is settling is occurring. If you had a heavy winter with lots of snow it's possible that something broke or shifted under an extreme load.  Mentally project a line directly below the window down to your basement or foundation and inspect this area for signs of movement or upheaval.. Again extreme water or deep freezing can cause the ground to swell and push up the weaker parts of the foundation.  Finally, if any of the signs of foundation settling or structural damage are present then an engineer should be called in to take a closer look at the matter and proscribe a permanent solution to the problem..I hope this information helps please feel free to write again regarding this or other matters, sincerely Bruce E Johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Bruce,
Thank you for you for your response. Some additional information for you. First of all, the house is brick veneer.  I live in GA so we don't have harsh winters. We had snow once our first winter here, 2009 (the first snow in at least 5 years I'm told). It wasn't much snow and was all gone from the roof the next day. There is no evidence of damage anywhere on the inside, upstairs or down. The window works just fine. The roof below the window is over a small screened porch. There are french doors out to this porch below the window. There is no cracking in the brick around the french doors. There is no cracking in the brick wall below the french doors/porch floor which you can access via a small crawl space. The brick below the window is not loose at all. Does any of this information change your assessment?

Thanks again.

Answer
Hi again Jenn, thanks for the additional info.  At this point my assessment remains as far as repairs go.  Use a good mortar patch, seal the crack up and check on the progress every six months or every year.  If for some reason the brick continues to move under the window then that portion of the brick veneer may need to be removed and redone making sure that enough wall ties are used to prevent this from happening again.  But for right now, I say patch and wait.  Sincerely Bruce E Johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com