![Vertical Crack Outside of Home](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/photo_gallery/medium/20696-wallcrack5.jpg?v=1402342721)
Vertical Crack Outside of Home
Outside of the home, vertical cracks may widen, indicating that the wall is rotating outward.
![Stair-Step Crack on Exterior](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/photo_gallery/medium/20697-wallcrack6.jpg?v=1402342721)
Stair-Step Crack on Exterior
Stair-step cracks are often a sure sign of foundation settlement and are very common in brick and concrete block walls.
![Cracks in Concrete Block Walls](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/photo_gallery/medium/20695-wallcrack1.jpg?v=1402342721)
Cracks in Concrete Block Walls
Stair-step cracks are also common in basements built from concrete blocks.
![Vertical Crack in Basement Wall](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/photo_gallery/medium/20694-walcrack8.jpg?v=1402342721)
Vertical Crack in Basement Wall
Vertical cracks such as this one are more common in basements constructed of poured foundation walls.
![Crack in Concrete Floor Slab](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/photo_gallery/medium/20693-floorcrack1.jpg?v=1402342721)
Crack in Concrete Floor Slab
Cracks in your concrete floor slab can signifiy foundation settlemet or settlement of the slab alone. This can be caused by drying and shrinking of the soil under the slab, washout of the soil under the slab, or poor compaction of the fill soil.
![Signs from Doors and Windows](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/photo_gallery/medium/20700-windowcrack1.jpg?v=1402343147)
Signs from Doors and Windows
Doors and windows often display the first signs of foundation settlement because they are the weakest point of a wall.
![Crack Extending from Window](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/photo_gallery/medium/20701-windowcrack2.jpg?v=1402343147)
Crack Extending from Window
Cracks extending out from the corners are a common sign.
![Cracks in Concrete Basement](https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/photo_gallery/medium/20699-wallcrack7.jpg?v=1402343147)
Cracks in Concrete Basement
Hiding the problem by patching over cracks such as this one are not real fixes, but merely temporary. The real problem still exists, and the cracks will re-appear.