Over time, our home is going to experience some wear and tear. It’s going to settle, to age, and this can appear in a range of ways, including cracks in the wall. However, you shouldn’t be content to simply accept a crack as being just another sign of age in the home. Sometimes, it can be a symptom of a much deeper problem.
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Settling
Homes settle. This effectively means that all the materials used in the installation and building slide into a more stable place over time due to gravity, shifts in the ground, weather changes, and more. If you see tiny, non-damaging cracks in the weak spots of your wall, not connected to the roof or floor, it may well just be the home settling. This is especially true in new builds.
Bad climate control
The above-mentioned settling can be accelerated by certain factors. Chief amongst them is the moisture level in the air. If you have issues with humidity, cracks are more likely to appear. Improving your home’s ventilation with services like broan-nutone.com can ensure that moisture isn’t building up inside. If you’re gone from the home for a while, poor airflow can be an issue too, so it’s a good idea to leave a key with a neighbor so they can open and shut the windows a couple of times throughout the day.
Poor drywall installation
If you are seeing a sudden crack in a drywall that has recently been installed or repaired, then they are most likely caused by poor installation. In particular, the drywall was not taped tightly enough when the drywall mud was put in to seal it in place. This means that the wall is not secure in its place and, as such, cracks can appear when or shortly after the tape is pulled away.
Foundation issues
The issue that undoubtedly needs the most attention, as it can do the most potential damage, is foundational issues with your home. These cracks tend to be wider than a quarter inch and reach up from the floor or doors, but can even reach up to the second floor. Foundation issues can spawn from many causes, from poor drainage around the home to tree roots growing directly into it, so services such as rsfoundations.com may be essential. You need to get to the bottom of foundation issues and repair them as soon as you can.
Leaks and water damage
If the crack in your wall is either extending down from the roof or from an area where you know your plumbing is, then there’s a good chance that there is a leak or some water damage. This can be due to a pipe issue, leaks coming in through an old roof, and plenty of other reasons. A water damage restoration company can help you repair the wall and any other damage, but you need to shut the leak off at the source, as well.
Even a surface level crack can be a sign of trouble much deeper within the home. With the causes outlined above, you can see that not every crack is such a huge deal, but that it’s important to confirm the cause of a crack when you see it.
This is a contributed post.
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Cracks in the wall can often signal underlying issues that need immediate attention. Ignoring them can lead to more significant problems down the line. This article serves as a crucial reminder to act quickly and investigate any signs of damage.