What Causes Cracks In Walls

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.

What causes cracks in walls.

While the natural movement of building materials surprises many homeowners engineers architects and builders expect and plan for natural settling shrinking and swelling. Cracks that cause concern are those which run across the length of a ceiling and then continue down a wall along the same line. Leaky windows and roofs can cause moisture to get into your home s walls. There s no exact method for determining how serious a wall crack is without hiring an expert to examine the wall but you might be able to.

The causes of wall cracks. Long horizontal cracks that extend along the joints where interior partition walls and upstairs ceilings connect generally signify roof truss issues which cause ceilings to detach from walls. Whether cracks occur on the finished surfaces of masonry wood or metal stud walls the most common cause is the movement of building materials. New lumber sometimes called green lumber contains a high level.

How to determine if the cracks in walls are serious. Causes of these cracks in masonry walls can be movement of building causing settlement and subsidence. Causes of cracks in walls if your home was recently built cracks in walls could be the results of new home settling. These cracks are serious and require professional attention.

Contents common causes of cracks. This causes the drywall to get wet soften and deteriorate which then leads to cracking. 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. Quite often found in old buildings can lead to the mobility of the soil under the foundation due to heaving or other reasons.

If the cracks in your walls are showing discoloration such as brown or yellow tinted stains then the problem may be the result of water damage to your home. Several types of cracks occur in masonry walls in a building which can be minor and insignificant some requiring expensive repairs and in some extreme cases the only solution is total demolition of the wall. Small cracks located above interior windows or doors are usually harmless. Causes of cracks in walls small insufficient depth of foundation.

Exceeding the design load on the ground. This usually occurs if you want to save money by making the foundation too narrow on the mobile ground.