Crack in Wall

[lolly]

Hi,
Our bungalow is now 17yrs old and we have owned it from new.
After a couple of years old we had a crack appear coming from the corner of the lounge running down to the fireplace (which was put in after the bungalow was built). We continually fill it every 2 or 3 years. It only ever opens up by about 2/3 mil. There are no cracks on the external brickwork, and no other cracks anywhere else.
We have a steel lintel above the 9ft splay bay window which holds up the front gable if you uknow what i mean, and is plastered over in the lounge like a beam.
I think it is the steel lintel moving or expanding (the crack is seasonal) and was just wondering what the experts on this forum may think about it.
The thing is, we want to replaster all our walls, and replace the ornate plaster cove with something a bit more simple.
Is there a solution to this crack, that may fix the problem do you think?
Thanks, and any advice will be welcome!
Lorraine

 

[shaggy]

Are you saying the chimney stack was built after the bungalow, and is that on an outside wall? A pic would probably help?

 

[lolly]

Sorry, no, there is no chimney or stack. The crack is inside of the outside wall. It runs diagonally from the corner of where the lintel is in the room, to the fireplace which is centred to the middle of the wall. The fireplace is a plaster lois style with marble hearth and back panel with electric fire.
The lintel supports part of the roof above the bay window like a gable i suppose. The crack has never worsened in the last 15 years, so we think it cannot be a subsidence problem. But we dont know what repair would make it good.

We dont want to pay out for replastering the whole room if the crack still appears. The outside brickwork is perfect, no cracks. The bungalow is constructed with 4 inch blockwork (celcon) with cavity and brick outside.
Could it be seasonal expansion of the lintel (i am south facing and it gets extremely hot in summer).
Thanks
Lorraine

 

[shaggy]

You often do get a slight crack from the end of a steel lintel from differential expansion but 3mm is a lot; they are usually more like hairline cracks. The box section ones can be worse than the type where the internal blockwork sits on a flange like the outside brickwork. Any chance of a pic though?

 

[lolly]

Perha[s 3mil is a bit much, i suppose it is more hairline but i will try ant take a ppiccy tomorrow,thats if i can remember how to use the damn thing!!
Thats a good way to describe the lintel, it does look like a box coming down from the ceiling!
Thanks
Lorraine

 

[shaggy]

Remove this one as well then please mod, it doesn't make sense without the reference.

____________________
moderator

the poster you refer to has no posts, i removed them for obvious reasons