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.

What causes cracks in walls.

This is a sign of structural damage usually related to a weak wall. The cracks in your walls form for a reason. These cracks are serious and require professional attention. 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.

The causes of wall cracks. How to determine if the cracks in walls are serious. 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. Whether cracks occur on the finished surfaces of masonry wood or metal stud walls the most common cause is the movement of building materials.

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. Cracks in the walls of your home could indicate serious foundation issues but that s not always the case. Cracks that cause concern are those which run across the length of a ceiling and then continue down a wall along the same line. Contents common causes of cracks.

Finding cracks indoors versus finding cracks outdoors. New lumber sometimes called green lumber contains a high level. Causes of these cracks in masonry walls can be movement of building causing settlement and subsidence. Small cracks located above interior windows or doors are usually harmless.

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. We explore which cracks are cause for concern. Causes of cracks in walls if your home was recently built cracks in walls could be the results of new home settling. Some cracks are just annoyances while others are symptoms of a larger problem and with a little bit of know how you can tell the difference.

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. That said interior wall cracks often have different causes than exterior wall cracks.