What Causes Cracks In Walls

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.

What causes cracks in walls.

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. 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. How to determine if the cracks in walls are serious. 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.

Finding cracks indoors versus finding cracks outdoors. While the natural movement of building materials surprises many homeowners engineers architects and builders expect and plan for natural settling shrinking and swelling. This causes the drywall to get wet soften and deteriorate which then leads to cracking. Contents common causes of cracks.

That said interior wall cracks often have different causes than exterior wall cracks. We explore which cracks are cause for concern. The causes of wall cracks. Causes of cracks in walls if your home was recently built cracks in walls could be the results of new home settling.

Cracks in the walls of your home could indicate serious foundation issues but that s not always the case. Causes of these cracks in masonry walls can be movement of building causing settlement and subsidence. 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. 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. This is a sign of structural damage usually related to a weak wall. 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. Cracks that cause concern are those which run across the length of a ceiling and then continue down a wall along the same line.

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. Leaky windows and roofs can cause moisture to get into your home s walls.