#ad Looking after a home or rental property is a full-time job. There always seems to be something to fix or something new to buy. It can feel quite overwhelming, but fixing faults and transforming rooms can also be fun and very rewarding. There may come a point in time when you notice a crack in the wall. This could be nothing especially if it’s a hairline crack and easily repaired with filler and paint. These are to be expected in both old and new homes. But, when should we be concerned?
A foundations company has asked me to share my tips with you all as to what to look out for.
Cracks in Your Walls? Should You Be Worried?
Main Causes of Cracks Within the Home
There are various things that can cause cracks to form within the home, some of which are more serious than others.
These include:
An Empty Home
A home that is empty is generally not subjected to the climate control it would normally have when people are living there. Whether it’s a rental property or holiday home if it sits for months on end without use then cracks may form on the walls and ceilings. This is merely a cosmetic issue and can be repaired easily. If the property has been left vacant for longer and large cracks have formed it may be advisable to consider getting a professional in to check there isn’t anything serious at fault with the foundations.
New or Recently Refurbished Home
Cracks are common in these situations, especially where fresh or new wood has been used. As the wood dries it shifts which can result in cracks. This isn’t anything to worry about but it is important to wait at least one year before making repairs in order for the wood to completely dry out and also finish with any further movement.
Normal Settling
Also known as foundation settling, this term refers to the process that occurs when the ground beneath a home begins to shift due to weather changes. This is something that happens over time and is normal. You’ll notice hairline cracks appearing in weak spots in the walls over doors and near windows. It’s simple to repair these using filler and a few coats of paint to make the room look lovely and new.
Poorly Installed Drywall
Not all builders are the best. If you’re lucky those that have worked on your home will do a good job. In the instances where you’ve moved into a new home or had a wall that has recently been redone or built and thin cracks haven’t taken long to appear it may be due to poor workmanship. This will need to be retaped, refilled and painted as otherwise, the issue will continue.
Near a Busy Road or Local Building Works
External factors are something that may exacerbate the issue of crack formation. We don’t really think about it but vibrations from vehicles especially large lorries whizzing past your home can be an issue. The movement can cause cracks to form. The same can be said for vibrations from local building works.
Foundation / Subsidence Issues
Far more serious than the areas already discussed. Foundation problems can be due to excessive dry weather, flooding, poor drainage, tree roots etc. This can be an overlap with subsidence, which is where the ground beneath a property sinks. The resulting movement of foundations can have quite severe consequences. Cracks may be far more pronounced and it is best to have a professional come in to assess the severity of the problem and advise on the best way to repair and reduce the risk of reoccurrence.
How Serious is it?
There are ways to identify whether there are serious issues causing the cracks within your home. Examples include, your doors and or windows might have become quite stiff to open and close. Alternatively, the doors might feel loose in the frame. Floors may start to slant. You are most likely to notice that the walls have moved away from window frames. Cracks can appear in outside walls and on the driveway or on your patio. If you notice any of these tale-tell signs it’s time to call in the professionals!
To Summarise
As you have seen, there are various reasons why cracks may arise within the home, some are more serious than others. It’s important to be aware of possible issues and intervene in time especially if they are more serious. Taking the right steps to protect your building’s foundations and the rest of your property it is far easier and cheaper than fixing the damage afterward.
I hope you enjoyed reading my post, Cracks in Your Walls? Should You Be Worried?
Are there cracks in the walls or ceilings where you live?
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Written by Melanie Edjourian.
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Great info on why you might have cracks in your walls and how to possibly handle them if they might be serious. I will say you missed one reason that is pretty popular with older houses especially here in the South and that is temperature of old homes! For example, my house here in New Orleans is about 170 years old and built in a creole cottage style very popular in the mid 1800s. (Imagine little house on the prairie small one bedroom cabin but on raised piers.) Well, the original house had to deal with humidity and heat in warmer months while dealing with a wet and damp freezing cold in the winter while being built with the materials they had on hand (generally cypress or cedar). So thus these old houses literally expands in Summer months and shrinks in winter months because the wooden floorboards do. Thus, my modern day drywall insides often crack because the floor or the outside walls are moving around them!
Good tips to know. If the foundation is cracked, that’s big trouble right there. Also, for walls made of natural material, weathering is a main reason for cracking.
Oooh great post! During out time in this house we’ve noticed a few longer cracks in our walls. Dang earthquakes!
We have quite a few cracks in our rental 😕 We’ve been here for 5 years now and we knew they were here when we moved in because they were poorly painted over when we came in for an inspection, but we desperately needed somewhere to live, so we had no choice. Since then, the house has shifted with normal settling and the cracks are now visible again (above doors and windows, just as you said) and they’re annoying, but this isn’t our forever home, so we do our best to ignore them. One day, when we own our own home, we will make sure they are looked at often to ensure they’re not part of a bigger problem!
Thanks for listing the common reasons why we get cracks in the walls of our home. In our case, our home is kinda close to a fault line, so finding cracks on our walls is a major concern.
very useful post! I would totally be worried no matter what. But I don’t know a house and don’t live in it so I can be excused
This is why I am glad we’re leaseholders rather than freeholders! Some of these issues can be so expensive and time consuming to fix and I know would be a massive headache if we had to coordinate all the work ourselves, so I’m glad we’ve got a company who takes care of it all.
Thats a very helpful post. I agee it is really very important to be aware of possible issues to protect the building.
Oh, cracks are the worst. People mostly cover them up with wallpapers or silk plasters but I personally think scading is the best.