Is this crack just a cosmetic or structural issue? (foundation, interior, stair)
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Vertical brick veneer cracking is usually due to foundation lift. But there are exceptions to this- number 1 being where it is.
Your pic is to close up- identify the crack in an overall pic of that wall.
The second would be exceptional weather events- rain/flooding, extreme freezing temperatures, then age of construction.
the house was built in 1999. So, if it's only a crack on brick veneer it means it's not a structural problem? just sealing is enough? i will take another picture tomorrow
Its just about impossible to tell from the one photo you posted.
To determine how bad it is, you have to look for other clues. If it's near a corner, is there a corresponding crack on the adjacent wall? Are there cracks or signs of movement on the inside of the house in this area?
More photos would help a lot, but to try to diagnose a structure issue from photos can be very difficult unless its quite obvious.
Here are just some of the criteria for evaluating cracks:
Is it straight up and down, or stair stepped?
Is it wider at the top or bottom, or V shaped?
Is the crack wider than 1/4"?
Is there displacement, meaning the face of one brick is not in line with the one on the other side of the crack.
Can you see the footing or brick ledge? Is there cracking there?
If there are concrete surfaces next to the wall, are they cracked as well?
Brick is a cosmetic item, not a structural component. The crack in brick is not structural. But it can be an indicator to issues that are behind the brick. But there's not near enough information in the pic to make any determinations. Is there damage on the other side of the wall? Are there any cracks in the foundation at this location? Are there any control joints at this location? What is the length of the wall? There's a lot of questions that just aren't answered with this one pic.
In the second course below the arrow, the brick itself appears to be cracked, rather than just a crack between brick and grout. That can't be good, I would think.
It looks like more than one brick is cracked straight up and down. I'd be interested to see if there is a crack on the opposite side of the house, or what the interior looks like (cracks in plaster, etc). I saw one house with this type of crack and another identical crack on the opposite side... I ran from that house.
I went to look at the crack again and it's a pretty big one. It runs almost through the whole wall. It's around 1/8 inch at the bottom and very thin around half way and the top (just a hairline) The opposite side of the house does not have a crack at the same spot. I took some pictures. What do you guys think about it?
Thanks
One story on a slab? If it is a slab, do you know if it's a post tension cable slab?
Where are you located (soils, annual precipitation)?
My initial guesstimation would be the slab(?) has moved- heaved/dropped.
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