"Tony Miklos" wrote in message
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On 9/22/2011 6:10 PM, Colbyt wrote:
"Tony wrote in message
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On 9/21/2011 11:57 AM, Bryce wrote:
House-hunting: Saw a ranch built in 1997. Basement floor is
concrete, scored into approximately 12-foot squares. The
slab has cracked along each score and the cracks opened up
to 1/8-3/16 inch wide. There is no evidence of vertical
displacement across the scores. Are cracks this wide normal?
Due to shrinking of concrete during curing? Or?

I could see sand laying on some of the crack edges. There is
a sump pump, so maybe a pump failure led to water rising
under the slab and washing sand upward through the cracks.
If this were my house, I'd caulk the cracks with a good
silicone sealant ... or maybe that's a bad idea.

We chose to continue shopping for a house. This will be our
first house with a sump pump. Should I be concerned about a
basement floor like this?

I'd worry about it needing a sump pump and wouldn't worry about the
cracks.


Frankly, I would worry more about any house with a basement that did not
have a sump pump.

I'd much rather have a natural gravity flow drain then rely on a sump
pump. To each is own.

I completely agree with your statement but that is often not possible with a
pit basement.