What Causes Cracks In Walls And Ceilings Uk

Small cracks located above interior windows or doors are usually harmless.

What causes cracks in walls and ceilings uk.

Cracks in the walls of your home could indicate serious foundation issues but that s not always the case. 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. Leaky windows and roofs can cause moisture to get into your home s walls. Homes naturally settle as they age which can create crevices in the walls and ceilings typically above doors.

How to determine if the cracks in walls are serious. We explore which cracks are cause for concern. 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. These cracks are serious and require professional attention.

Expansion and contraction with hot and cold weather changes along with normal settling can change wall to ceiling alignment and can cause cracks in both these areas. 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. For example hairline cracks around windows shouldn t cause problems. Vacation homes and those that sit empty for a few months are prone to developing cracks in both walls and ceilings.

Ceiling cracks generally follow the joints between drywall sheets and as long as they remain minor with widths of less than 1 8 inch you can patch them with tape and joint. This causes the drywall to get wet soften and deteriorate which then leads to cracking. Ceiling cracks accompanied by wall cracks could be the result of the house settling. Leaving a house vacant can cause wall cracks.

This is due to the house not being. However cracks along joints that connect upstairs ceilings and partition walls could be a sign there are problems with your roof truss which could end up with walls coming away from ceilings. Cracks that cause concern are those which run across the length of a ceiling and then continue down a wall along the same line. A crack is continuous though the wall and ceiling.

This is a sign of structural damage usually related to a weak wall. Basically a continuous crack going through the ceiling and the wall. This type of crack suggest that there may be a structural issue i e.