No matter if you’re living in your own-occupied home or a rental property, I believe you’ve encountered wall cracks at some point. These cracks not only detract from the appearance of the house but can also signal underlying structural issues.
In this video, we will explore how to assess the seriousness of wall cracks and take proactive steps to prevent them from worsening.
Wall cracks fall into three main categories:
1. Exterior wall cracks such as cracks in the brickwork, surface or rendering of external walls;
2. Interior wall cracks such as cracks in the plasterboard or gyprock;
3. Cracks in foundation walls.
Common Causes of Wall Cracks:
Settling and Subsidence
Excavation of the soil is usually required when a home is first built. Disturbed soil will become compacted and settle over time, causing a wall to crack. This process can take months or even years to occur.
Earth works within 50m of your property
If you live in a new housing estate or in close proximity to a construction site or earthworks for road extensions, it’s not unusual to experience wall cracking or length and breadth increase of current wall cracks. The use of heavy machinery, vibration, excessive mechanical compaction of the soil or blasting may all cause the walls to crack.
Reactive Soils
It is a type of soil that expands dramatically when moist and contracts when dry. Clay is just one example of a reactive soil. Soil testing can assist in identifying whether it is reactive and might be contributing to wall cracks.
Poor design and workmanship
Poorly-designed or constructed property with flawed or faulty building materials may cause too much weight on a load-bearing wall and can contribute to wall cracks.
Trees with heavy root systems
This is a common concern stated in the building and pest inspection report. Trees often have invasive root structures that can contribute to wall and tiles cracking. Aside from destructive roots, trees may lead to wall cracks by removing water from the soil and affecting the soil’s moisture content.
Water Damage
Blocked gutters, flood damage, garden sprinklers, blocked or leaking pipes have the effect of saturating or even washing away soil, resulting in wall cracks.
Now that we understand the fundamental causes of wall cracks, how can we observe and assess the seriousness of cracks at homes by ourselves? Generally, we can determine the seriousness based on the width and length of the cracks:
If the crack is less than 0.1mm: It can be negligible.
For cracks less than 1 millimeter: No repair required.
Less than 5 millimeters: Visible and can be easily filled. However, continuous observation is necessary to see if the cracks widen or lengthen, in which case professional advice should be sought.
5 millimeters to 15 millimeters, or several cracks each larger than 3 millimeters in one area: These moderate cracks may require professional evaluation and repair, and may also involve replacing part of the wall.
15 millimeters to 25 millimeters: These are considered severe cracks that need professional wall repair, which can be costly.
Conclusion
That’s all for today’s topic and I hope this video has been helpful to you. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Thanks for watching and see you next time!
