I purchased a home with a foundation repair and we found a hairline crack extending about 3 feet into the home; from what I understand, this is pretty common. In a foundation repair, the typically put piers in areas requiring stabilization. I live in NW Houston and the shrinking and expanding of clay during the wet/dry season causes foundation repair companies to stay busy. Keep water away from the home like as said above. Flooding probably did not cause the crack; my guess would be settling over time.

 

Ok I got some pics in my gallery, come to find out my dad over exhaggerated above the crack in the bedroom, The pic in the gallery with the keys next to it. However, my biggest concern now is the fireplace and some moulding starting to drop in side. Have a looky see.

 

Did you say that your insurance company came out and looked at it. Dang. it looks as if your house has shifted 2 to 3 inches. Was the water a flowing water when it flooded, or just standing still.

I believe that your insurance company is liable for the damage. I do not think the structural capabilty of your house has been compromised, but that fireplace being pulled away from the endwall is not good at all. The only thing left holding it up is its own brick construction. It could easily fall in the next hard wind storm, and if it fell on something or someone, there could be some bad results.

I would talk to your agent again, and see about filing a claim to have the inside damage fixed, and having the fireplace repaired if possible, or completely rebuilt.

One question, do you have flood insurance included on your house insurance?

 

That crack near the keys is a very minor crack. It looks typical to 99% of all houses. 3 things to know about concrete. It dries, it gets hard, it cracks. The chimney is a different story altogether. Judging from the pics that chimney needs to come down. You also need to figure out what moved. The house or the chimney. It looks like the chimney moved. Put a level on it and see. If you don't have the money for a new chimney you could get an insert with metal venting. That chimney needs to come down though. It looks like it's ready to come down already and murphy's law applies. It will be at the worse possible moment. Good luck.