Concrete is often used for residential foundations because of its fair price and ability to be manipulated conveniently by contractors. It isn't indestructible and will eventually develop cracks. There might have been nothing you could have done do to prevent them, but you can deal with them after the fact by understanding these things.

Procrastination Could Lead to Costlier Repairs

With cracks on a concrete foundation, time isn't in your favor. The longer you don't have the cracks addressed, the more chances there are for elements to make cracks get bigger. They could get pretty bad and cause a financial nightmare.

Whereas if you take care of concrete foundation cracks quickly, you know they won't get bigger and become a major structural issue that you have to address at some point later on. Just be sure that you don't go too fast and repair them in an inferior manner. 

Hairline Cracks Should Be Monitored

Hairline cracks are pretty commonplace for residential foundations made out of concrete. They occur because of natural settling, but with that said, you still want to keep an eye on them over the years. If you didn't and they got bigger, it may be too late for an easy and affordable repair.

A smart thing you can do is measure the hairline cracks that develop periodically throughout the year. Then if you see them getting bigger and bigger exponentially, you can intervene to keep the hairline cracks from getting too big.

Sealing Is Your Best Friend

If there are cracks that seem almost an inch in width, then you'll want to act fast for your home's concrete foundation. Something you want to remember is that sealing is your best friend. This repair method is effective for troubleshooting cracks that have grown in width.

So that this sealing is done correctly and in a way that keeps the crack from negatively impacting your property any time soon, hire a foundation repair contractor that knows how to work on concrete foundations. They'll apply the right sealants inside the crack itself and do everything they can to make it not noticeable. 

Concrete foundations have joint-free construction and a lot of strength, which is why you'll see them used for many residential properties. Cracks are a common problem that occur with them, but if you're careful about how you monitor and repair them, there won't be a reason to have to worry about significant foundations issues any time soon.