Leader-Telegram publishes can article about how the location of cracks can reveal what is happening to your foundation. Wall cracks appear as the result of overloading, settlement or heaving, which may give you information on what is going on with the foundation. Vertical cracks are often caused by “settlement of the home, soil compacting and soil washing away under the footings.” This occurs when an upward force is next to a downward force, while angle cracks occur when the up force and down force offset each other. This can appear when there is a difference in the soil under the house from one another, which causes the soil to push up. Horizontal cracks can be caused by pressure from the outside, which can be attributed to pressure against the wall, improper backfilling, and surface problems. “Skrinkage cracks appear on the foundationwalls as part of the curing process. These cracks can appear because there was too much moisture in the concrete when it set.” This could be caused by mortar set in cold weather that froze and later expanded before having a chance to cure.