Any crack experts?

[CW101]

As above really.

Anyone in the know, have any idea whether these are cracks to be worried about? Subsidence issues etc? (All in the same one upstairs bedroom). Gaps under the same window sills where the cracks are. Last 3 photos are of the same crack just closer up in the last two going up the wall.

Thanks in advance - way too much time in the house at the minute courtesy of covid 19. Forced to stare at every wall & find everything that's s**t.

Thanks

 

[KenGMac]

CW101, good evening.

At first look not Subsidence.

All cracks [which are difficult to see, no disrespect to the posted images] in one room?

Any cracks in room below?

Any external cracks??

What has "Possibly" happened is that the room has been skimmed?? and it is the skim that has cracked??

Remember, Subsidence is the Downward movement of the foundations, any other cracks "tend" to be related to thermal and moisture movement.

Ken.

 

[CW101]

Thanks for reply.

No obvious external cracks anywhere no.

There are cracks in the rooms below yes but none seem to run as a consecutive crack from top floor to bottom or from bottom floor up to top if that makes sense. But there are thin vertical cracks under pretty much every window in the house on both floors.

A crack above the back door.

That long vertical one which runs in between two upstairs windows. A diagonal one above a kitchen window. And a diagonal one below the window in the bathroom which concerns me. Will add more photos to this post here. Apologies that they aren't great quality.

Just looking some advice while I'm unable to get anyone in at the minute obviously then probably will get someone in about a few things.

Thanks again

 

[KenGMac]

CW101, good evening, again.

What age is the property? are the walls you are concerned about Plasterboard?

Ken.

 

[CW101]

Property is 23 years old. Not sure whether the walls are plasterboard, how would I tell? Sorry for the stupid question

Thanks again

 

[CW101]

They are all exterior walls if that's any help?

 

[^woody^]

Your bored cracks look like board cracks.

 

[CW101]

Your bored cracks look like board cracks.

Thanks - sorry for stupidity/ignorance, do you mean they look like plasterboard cracks?
Anything to be worried about do you think?

 

[KenGMac]

CW101, good evening, again.

OK as "woody" above, yes plasterboard cracks.

As for how to tell if Plasterboard or? Solid plaster on to brick, simply tap the wall, if it "sounds" hollow then plasterboard, if when tapped the plaster surface sounds solid, no hollow sound then the answer is clear.

As a test, pick a totally inconspicuous spot and drive a nail into the plaster, if a plasterboard wall then the nail should go in and through, but if solid the nail will go into the plaster then stop at the brickwork, try this in a couple of places.

Ken.

 

[CW101]

And would those cracks be something to worry about if it's solid plaster on to brick?

If it's plasterboard not to worry? Or am I wrong

Thanks again

 

[CW101]

Just tested there with a bit of knocking. All those walls sound solid. They are all walls facing the outside.

The walls between rooms in the house do sound hollow, but none of these walls with cracks do, they all sound solid. Should I be worried about the cracks?

Thanks C

 

[KenGMac]

All of the cracks are "so called" Hairline cracking and classed as totally insignificant on the Subsidence scale of things.

As posted most cracking is due to thermal and moisture movement of the various components in a property expanding and contracting at different rates [such as in your case] "if plasterboard" the timber to which the plasterboard is fixed to shrinking ever so slightly thus causing the plasterboard cracks you can see.

As things stand you will be hard pressed to get an accurate measurement on the cracks present, and in most cases these cracks can be filled with paint at the next round of decoration.

So whether plasterboard or plaster on brick nothing at all to be concerned about.

Ken.