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Homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover foundation cracks unless they’re a result of a natural disaster like an earthquake, vandalism, or a vehicle accident that causes sudden damage. Taking care of your foundation to prevent problems with expansive soil and drainage is considered ongoing maintenance, and your insurance company expects the homeowner to carry out that preventative maintenance.

It’s usually not an immediate safety risk to live in a house with foundation problems, but you don’t want to let those problems persist. Most foundation issues don’t lead to a house’s sudden collapse, but they can lead to health issues like mold growth and pest intrusion, as well as problems like uneven floors or rotten beams and joists, which can pose injury risks and be costly to fix.

The best way to determine if ceiling cracks are structural is to hire a ceiling contractor to inspect the cracks and provide a professional opinion. That said, you might be able to make an educated guess based on the size and appearance of the crack. Larger cracks, cracks accompanied by sagging or discoloration, and cracks that travel from the ceiling down the walls are all signs of structural issues.

A slab-on-grade or slab foundation is a great option in many areas—usually in warm or moderate climates—and has been a successful foundation style for many decades. Slab foundations don’t require excavation or concrete block wall construction, so they’re the least expensive foundation type. They’re also the fastest to construct and don’t have many issues with moisture or water intrusion. However, they don’t give you extra storage space or potential living space like a crawl space or basement would, and they’re not ideal in colder areas where utility lines can freeze and frost heave can cause major damage.