Vertical cracks that are an eighth-of-an-inch wide or larger could be a sign of problems and may need a review from a pro. Some normal cracks in plaster walls get worse in time, so before grabbing your putty knife to repair cracks straight away, you should wait a while to see if they show any development.
If cracks rapidly get bigger in length, wider, or change in any way, they may present serious issues. It's best to hire a structural engineer to inspect them.
A diagonal crack that appears in the wall, which can be wider at the top and tighter at the bottom, is usually caused by the foundation settling. A crack that runs at a jagged degree angle is almost always a shear crack.
Some cracks start at the top of the concrete basement wall and move diagonally down to a corner. This is usually accompanied by inward tilting of the top of the foundation wall.
The earth pushing against the basement wall can cause this type of crack. If you are experiencing these on your wall or basement walls, a foundation repair pro should take a look at them. Stair-step cracks following the grout line between the bricks of your interior or exterior walls may be a sign of a structural issue in your property.
The problem might be more serious if you have a complete separation in the cement between bricks or if the bricks are wiggling. If that's the case, call a foundation expert ASAP. Stair-step cracks that appear at the corners of windows or doors generally imply settling or heaving foundations and may present pressing issues. Examine the area surrounding the crack and look for nail or screw heads that might be visible on the surface of the wall. The nail or screw might have pulled away from the stud beneath the drywall.
If there is water leaking into the crack or if there are white powdery stains, these could be cause for concern. On the same subject: Cracks on the facade of a house: what solutions? All about facade remodeling Video Instruction: Fix structural cracks on plaster walls.
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Your building inspection report will provide an assessment of the severity and likely cause of the cracks in your walls, some of which are discussed in further detail below.
All three can be serious and symptomatic of structural failure. How serious the problem is can really only be assessed by looking at:. Gaping cracks are a good indicator of a serious structural problem. Zig-zag cracks or stair-step cracks following the mortar line in the brick walls of your property may point to a structural defect in your property.
The problem might be particularly serious if you have a complete separation in the mortar or cement between bricks. Small hairline cracks in plaster walls can be purely cosmetic and caused by the slight contraction and expansion of the wood framing of the house during seasonal changes. Other cracks in internal walls may be indicators of more serious underlying issues such as subsidence, poor initial design or structural and foundational defects as discussed further below.
Cracks in the wall at building inspection may necessitate expert intervention that can be costly and not always covered by insurance. While fine hairline horizontal cracks in plaster may be due simply to shrinkage in the plaster, other horizontal cracks are more serious. Horizontal cracks in the wall identified during a building inspection are commonly caused by unbalanced soil pressure on concrete block foundation walls.
Other horizontal cracks in walls may be caused by the pressure of a failing wall or indicative of load bearing problems and are a safety concern. Tracking down the cause or causes of wall cracks is the first step in making any assessment as to the seriousness and cost of repairing wall cracks.
Likely causes might include some of the following. Some degree of excavation of the soil is usually required when a home is first built. How much excavation work has been carried out will vary with the type of home you have. Some types of homes require more soil disruption than others in the course of their construction. Disturbed soil will become compacted and settle over time, causing a wall to crack.
This process can take months or even years to occur. Natural settling will often cause narrow vertical cracks as opposed to big jagged cracks.
Minor settling is a normal process that occurs over time. However, significant downward motion in the soil subsidence under a wall may create structural faults. Significant subsidence can occur when soil is washed away for example through a gradual leak or sudden flooding , compacts too much or collapses. Sink holes are a dramatic example of this. A reactive soil is a type of soil that expands dramatically when moist and contract when dry. Clay is just one example of a reactive soil.
Non-reactive soil types include sand and gravel. Soil testing can assist in identifying whether your soil is reactive and might be contributing to your wall cracks. Climate and seasonal changes, such as drought and flood, can cause dramatic contraction and expansion of the soil or changes in the water table far below a property leading to wall cracking. If you live in an area such as a new housing estate or in close proximity to a construction site or a quarry then you may experience wall cracking.
The use of heavy machinery, vibration, excessive mechanical compaction of the soil or blasting the use of explosives to excavate can all cause your walls to crack. If your wall cracks appear following construction in your area you should seek an urgent assessment of the cracks and legal advice.
Similarly, earth tremors and earthquakes, though a fairly infrequent occurrence in Australia, can also contribute to wall cracks appearing. Wall cracking can also occur in circumstances where your property or part of it eg. Too much weight on a load-bearing wall can contribute to wall cracks. Inferior, flawed or faulty building materials or under engineered footing design can also contribute to the emergence 0f wall cracks. Blocked gutters, flood damage, garden sprinklers, blocked or leaking pipes can all cause wall cracks and they can have the effect of saturating or even washing away soil.
Trees often have invasive root structures that can also contribute to wall cracking. You should ensure that you do not have anything other than small shrubs or bushes in close proximity to your walls.
The removal of a large tree from an area that is in close proximity to your walls may cause cracking because it can destabilise the soil in the space previously occupied by the root system. It can also lead to changes in the moisture levels of the soil or settling over time. Nothing lasts forever, and building materials are no exception to that rule. Gravity, weathering, rotting or poor maintenance can all take their toll on building materials.
When a building material starts to degrade, its structural integrity might be undermined, causing it to succumb to gravity. This can cause wall cracks to appear. Concrete cancer is another possible culprit of wall cracking. This occurs when the steel reinforcements in concrete start to rust and degrade following exposure to moisture and salt.
The location, direction and severity of the cracks are good indicators of the seriousness of your cracking walls. It can be helpful to take photos and measurements of cracks to track the progress of any cracks over time. Some cracks in the wall can indicate very serious safety risks to you and your family.
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