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Locate a crack in your foundation. Place a piece of tape over the crack and mark it with a pencil at each side of the crack. If the crack widens, the tape will slide along the wall and move away from the pencil lines. This method is simple, but it is a somewhat unreliable way of monitoring building settlement.
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Cut a piece of dry wood into a wedge shape. Tap it into the crack somewhat firmly. If the foundation crack widens, the timber will fall out. Moisture can cause the wood wedge to shrink and expand, so it is the least reliable way of monitoring building settlement. You can increase certainty by combining this method with the tape procedure.
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Purchase a piece of glass 9 inches by 4 inches that is about 1/6 of an inch thick. Ask a glazing merchant to drill a quarter-inch hole in each corner. Use plastic plugs or resin and rubber washers to affix the glass across the foundation crack. Take care not to turn the screws too tightly or the glass will break. If the building moves anymore, the glass will break, the Property Repair Systems website reports.
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Purchase a professional kit to monitor building settlement if you're still unsure about how serious the degree of movement is. Crack monitoring gauges measure both the horizontal and vertical movement along a foundation crack with a high degree of accuracy.
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Contact a building surveyor or structural engineer to confirm your suspicions and seek solutions.
