This page is about fixing cracks. If you’re still at the stage of wondering whether a crack matters, read foundation cracks in Encinitas homes first. It walks through patterns and what they tend to mean.
Rule one: stop the movement before you fill the gap
A crack is a symptom. If the foundation is still moving, filling the crack just moves the crack somewhere else, usually right next to the repair. Before we recommend crack repair we want to know three things:
- Is it active? Fresh edges, debris in the crack, or a crack monitor showing change over weeks all point to movement.
- Is there offset? If one side of the crack sits higher or farther out than the other, that’s displacement, and it needs a structural answer.
- What’s driving it? Settlement, water, a failed drain line, an overloaded footing, old concrete. Near the coast, water belongs near the top of that list.
If the crack is stable and the cause has been addressed, crack repair is a sensible, lasting step.
Picking a method
Epoxy injection. Low-viscosity epoxy is pumped into the crack through surface ports and cures into a bond that can restore much of the concrete’s strength across the crack. Good for stable structural cracks in walls and footings where the engineer wants the pieces to act as one again.
Polyurethane injection. Flexible foam that expands to fill the crack and stop water. Better when the goal is waterproofing a crack that may still flex slightly, like a damp stem-wall crack in a Leucadia crawl space. It doesn’t restore strength.
Rout and seal. The crack is widened into a small groove and filled with a flexible sealant. Common for slab cracks under flooring and for keeping water out of exterior cracks.
Stitching. Steel staples or carbon-fiber strips set across the crack to hold it together. Used where an engineer wants to limit future opening without full replacement.
Section replacement. When a stem wall or footing section is broken up, crumbling, or badly spalled, patching isn’t enough. Near the coast, that’s sometimes because the rebar inside has rusted and burst the concrete. See salt air and concrete corrosion.
Encinitas details that change the plan
- Moist crawl spaces. Epoxy wants a dry crack. In a damp beach-cottage crawl space we may have to dry things out or choose a different material.
- Stucco over the crack. Many cracks people notice are in stucco, not concrete. The stucco crack may track a foundation crack, or it may be its own thing. We check both. See wall cracks.
- Coastal permits. Most crack sealing is minor maintenance. Structural repair to footings on a bluff-top lot is a different conversation, because the City’s CDP exemption for repair doesn’t apply under the Coastal Bluff Overlay. See permits.
What we won’t do
We won’t inject a crack that’s clearly still moving just to make it look better before a sale. It’ll reopen, and the next owner’s inspector will find it. We’d rather tell you what’s going on and fix the cause, or tell you it’s fine to leave alone.
Questions we hear around town
We’re repainting soon. Should the crack get fixed first?
If it needs fixing at all, yes. Repair first, paint second, so the new paint isn’t covering anything up and you’ll notice right away if the crack comes back. A stable hairline may only need the painter’s filler.
Water seeps through the crack after heavy rain. What then?
A leaking crack usually gets a flexible injection from the inside, which closes the water path through the full thickness of the wall. We’ll also look outside for whatever is feeding it, since grading and downspouts are frequent suspects.
Why do you ask how long the crack has been there?
Because a crack that’s held the same width for years and one that showed up last winter call for different repairs. Old photos, an inspection report from when you bought, or a note from the previous owner help us tell which one you’ve got.
Do you need an engineer for crack repair?
Not for simple sealing. For structural cracks or anything tied to settlement, we coordinate with licensed engineers as needed.
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Photos help us prepare, but we’ll want to see it in person. If the crack is part of a bigger pattern, foundation settlement repair may be the next page to read.