Gutters, Grading, and Foundation Cracks in Chicago Homes

Vintage Home Maintenance Series · Part 2 of 7

Water is the single biggest enemy of an older Chicago home, and most of it arrives the same way: off the roof, down the walls, and into the soil right next to the foundation. Clogged gutters, short downspouts, a gangway that tilts toward the house, and soil that has settled over a century all send water exactly where you don't want it.

This guide covers how to manage water around your home, what damp brick at the base of a wall is telling you, and how to tell a harmless foundation crack from one that needs an engineer. It's part of our complete guide to vintage home maintenance in Chicago.

Why Drainage Is So Hard on a Chicago Lot

A typical city lot is about 25 feet wide, with a narrow gangway, a neighbor's wall a few feet away, and very little room to direct water anywhere. Add Chicago's clay-heavy soils, which drain slowly and expand when wet, and the freeze-thaw cycles that push on foundations every winter, and you have conditions where small drainage mistakes turn into wet basements and cracked walls.

• Settled soil. Over decades, soil next to the foundation compacts and erodes, often forming a shallow trough that collects water right against the wall.
• Concrete gangways and walks that were poured flat, or have since heaved or sunk, can pitch water toward the house instead of away from it.
• Older downspout connections. Many Chicago homes have downspouts that run into underground pipes tied to the sewer. When those clay pipes crack or clog, water backs up and soaks the soil at the foundation.
• Brick and stone foundations. Many older homes sit on brick, rubble, or early concrete foundations that are more porous than modern poured walls.

How to Clean and Maintain Gutters

Gutters exist to collect roof water and carry it away from the foundation. When they clog, sag, or leak at the seams, water spills over the edge and lands exactly where it does the most damage. Clean them at least twice a year — in late spring and again after the leaves drop in fall — and more often if you have large trees nearby.

1. Set the ladder safely. Use a ladder stabilizer or standoff so the ladder doesn't rest on, and dent, the gutter.
2. Scoop out debris by hand or with a gutter scoop, working toward the downspout.
3. Flush with a garden hose and watch the flow. Water should run steadily toward the downspout and drain out the bottom. If you use a pressure washer, keep the spray off your shingles.
4. Check the pitch. Gutters should slope gently toward the downspout, commonly about 1/4 inch for every 10 feet. Standing water means a low spot.
5. Inspect hangers, seams, and end caps for loose fasteners, gaps, and leaks.
6. Look for rust and holes. When replacing a section, match the existing metal. Mixing metals, such as copper with galvanized steel or aluminum, causes galvanic corrosion and speeds deterioration.

Lots of shingle granules in the gutters can be an early sign that the roof is aging. See Part 1: Roof and Attic Problems for what to look for.

Why Is the Brick at the Base of My House Wet?

Dark, damp brick, moss, green algae, or crumbling mortar near ground level means the bottom of the wall is staying wet. That moisture wicks up into the masonry, accelerates mortar decay, feeds efflorescence, and works its way into the basement. The usual causes, in order of how often we see them:

A note on regrading: raise the soil, not the problem. Building up soil against the house should never bury brick or siding that wasn't designed to be below grade, and it shouldn't cover window wells or basement windows. On tight lots, a shallow swale that channels water toward the front or back of the lot often works better than trying to slope everything away.

Window wells deserve their own check: they should be free of leaves, have a gravel base that drains, and ideally a clear cover. A window well that fills with water is a common source of basement leaks.

Are Cracks in My Foundation Walls Serious?

Nearly every 100-year-old foundation has cracks. Most are not structural. The goal is to tell the difference between a crack that's a cosmetic nuisance and one that means the wall is moving.

How to Monitor a Foundation Crack

The most important question about any crack is whether it's still moving. You can find out yourself:

• Mark the ends of the crack with a pencil line and the date.
• Measure the width at its widest point, or install an inexpensive crack monitor (a two-piece plastic gauge that spans the crack).
• Photograph it with a ruler in the frame.
• Recheck every few months, including after heavy rain and after the spring thaw. A crack that lengthens or widens over time needs professional attention.

Fixing Foundation Cracks

For stable cracks in poured concrete that let in water, polyurethane or epoxy crack injection from the inside is a common, relatively inexpensive fix. Cracks in brick or stone foundations are usually repointed with an appropriate mortar rather than injected. Structural problems — bowing walls, horizontal cracks, ongoing settlement — call for an engineer's diagnosis first, and repairs such as wall anchors, bracing, or underpinning designed to fit. Be cautious of anyone selling a structural repair without an engineer's assessment. In every case, fix the drainage first; repairing a crack while water keeps saturating the soil outside rarely holds.

Drainage and Foundation Checklist

The best time to check is during or right after a heavy rain, when you can see where water actually goes.

Seepage vs. Sewer Backup: Two Different Basement Problems

Water coming through walls or the floor slab is a drainage problem, and the fixes above are where to start. Water coming up through a floor drain during a storm is different: in Chicago's combined sewer system, heavy rain can overwhelm the sewers and push water back into basements. That calls for plumbing solutions such as a backwater valve or an overhead sewer, covered in Part 4: Plumbing Problems in Older Chicago Homes.

What Drainage and Foundation Issues Mean When You Buy or Sell

Basement water and foundation cracks are among the most anxiety-inducing items on an inspection report, often more than they deserve. Illinois sellers must disclose known flooding or recurring leakage in the basement and known defects in the foundation on the state's residential disclosure form.

Sellers: Simple fixes — downspout extensions, cleaned gutters, regraded soil — cost little and change how a basement looks and smells to buyers. If you've had a crack evaluated or repaired, keep the engineer's letter and any warranty; documentation turns a scary-looking crack into a non-issue.

Buyers: Look past fresh paint on basement walls and ask about the history. For any horizontal crack, bowing wall, or crack wider than about 1/4 inch, a structural engineer's evaluation during the inspection period is money well spent. Also consider a sewer scope of the main line, which can reveal broken or root-filled pipes before you own them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far should downspouts drain from the house?

At least 4 to 6 feet, onto ground that slopes away from the foundation. On narrow city lots, direct the water toward the front or back yard rather than toward a neighbor's foundation.

How often should I clean my gutters?

At least twice a year, in late spring and late fall. Homes under large trees may need cleaning more often. Gutter guards reduce the work but don't eliminate it.

Are vertical cracks in a basement wall normal?

Thin vertical cracks in poured concrete are common and usually come from shrinkage as the concrete cured. They're mainly a concern if they leak water, widen over time, or one side shifts relative to the other.

When should I call a structural engineer about a foundation crack?

Call an engineer for horizontal cracks, walls that bow or lean, cracks wider than about 1/4 inch, cracks that keep growing, or signs of movement upstairs such as doors that suddenly stick and new drywall cracks. An engineer's assessment is independent of anyone selling the repair.

Will waterproofing paint stop my basement from leaking?

Rarely on its own. Interior coatings can help with minor dampness, but they don't stop water pressure from outside, and on brick or stone foundations they can trap moisture inside the masonry. Fix gutters, downspouts, and grading first.

This article is for general informational purposes and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed structural engineer, contractor, or inspector. Permit requirements and codes change; confirm current rules with the City of Chicago Department of Buildings before starting work.