What Could Be Causing Small Vertical Cracks in My Basement Wall?

You may find yourself contending with several types of cracks as a homeowner. Some of the most common include horizontal, diagonal, and stair-step cracks.  

But vertical cracks also can find a home in your walls. These types of cracks tend to form along your walls, door frames, windows, and other locations. These cracks appear as a sign of potential damage to the structural supports protecting your home. Some of the most common causes behind the development of small vertical cracks in your walls include:   

• Hydrostatic pressure. As water starts to build up outside of your home, it can cause the particles within your wall to change size. To compensate for the affiliated stress, your walls may begin to develop small vertical cracks.  
• Wall shifting. If there is an excessive amount of moisture in your home, your walls may begin to bow inward as their structural supports become inundated with water.  
• Tree roots. Tree roots do not actively move to attack the structural supports beneath your home. Instead, if a tree happens to be planted too close to the perimeter of your home, its roots can cause the soil around your aforementioned structural supports to shift. In doing so, it can disrupt the stability of your foundation and cause vertical cracks to appear in your walls.