If you discover minor cracks on your foundation walls, you could be in danger of your basement leaking. Here are a few things you can do to:

• Inspect your foundation often and call a professional if the gap is larger or appears to be growing in size.
  
• Inspect your downspouts and extensions. Make sure your downspout extensions will direct the water from your roof (4-6 feet) to the lawn and not along the side of your home near the foundation. When the water is being absorbed by the grass, it reduces the amount of water trying to penetrate through the foundation.

• Add downspout extensions

• Make sure the water from your downspouts is draining on to your own property, not on to your neighbours or City owned property
  
• Maintain proper lot grading. Always slope the landscaping along the side of your home towards the lawn or away from the foundation, that way there is less water trying to enter the cracks in the foundation.
• Maintaining/replacing the weeping tiles is another way you can deter water from entering the basement through the cracks. Mind you this is not an expensive task.

The best method of defence to a leaking foundation is to properly seal or repair the cracks. This will greatly reduce the amount of water that may enter the basement.

See these other Resources:

http://www.nationalpost.com/Mike+Holmes+Cracks+shrinkage/3316106/story.html - Horizontal cracks

http://www.crackbuster.ca/articles3/types-of-foundation-cracks/ - Types of foundation cracks

http://realestate.msn.com/is-that-crack-serious-foundation-issues-101 - foundation cracks 101

http://inspectapedia.com/structure/FoundationCracks.htm - diagnose foundation cracks

Inspected by 42 Home Inspections - Kanata and Ottawa surrounding area