Cracks in plasterboard above radiators

[Stu1977]

Hi all, I posted the below on the plumbing section, but was advised to also post it here.

Hi all, hopefully someone will be able to help with a problem that we are having in our new(ish) build flat.

My wife and I moved into our 2 bedroom flat 3 years ago, and at that point the flat was around 4 years old. When we redecorated we noticed that there was a crack in the plasterboard wall in the living room, but thought nothing of it as we were told that it was common in new builds as the flats 'settled in'. So we simply painted over it and didn't think anymore of it, especially as it is an area of the room that we don't really spend any time in.

We have recently put our flat on the market to try and sell it (although we have since decided to stay put), and one of the potential buyers pointed out the crack in the wall. It was only then that we really noticed that the crack had got much worse, and the surface was now raised out as though it was being 'pushed' from behind.

The crack was directly above one of the radiators and we realised that when the radiator was on, the wall above it was getting very hot in a direct line above the middle of the radiator, and this is exactly where the cracks are. I am assuming that there is a hot water pipe that runs behind the wall at this point?

Behind the radiator itself the plasterboard has completely crumbled and we noticed that chunks of plasterboard were lose and dropped off when I lifted the radiator off of it's mounts.

None of the other radiators in the flat have this issue, so this seems to be an isolated issue.

What is causing this and how much of a problem is it? Do we need to call a plumber out to look at the piping? The walls are not wet, so I assume that there are no leaks.

Any help or advice greatly appreciated.

 

[1john]

is the wall a stud partition or is it dot and dabbed blockwork?

 

[Stu1977]

is the wall a stud partition or is it dot and dabbed blockwork?

The wall in question is the seperating wall between us and the next flat, and so isn't hollow like the internal walls. I assume that means it is likely to be dot and dabbed onto the blockwork?

 

[1john]

ok, it could be that the pipework was not set behind the plasterboard, rather that the boards were butted to it or even cut afterwards to have the pipes installed and then taped and skimmed over.

 

[roughcaster]

A shoddy way to work really,, whether it's dot and dab ,,, or cutting into boards to install pipework.

 

[Stu1977]

ok, it could be that the pipework was not set behind the plasterboard, rather that the boards were butted to it or even cut afterwards to have the pipes installed and then taped and skimmed over.

So what would be the best way to get it fixed? Can we just carry on patching it up or will we need to get the work redone completely?

It sounds like shoddy work from the builders, so as the flat is still under the 10 year guarantee could/ should I demand that they pay for the work to be done?

 

[roughcaster]

Hard to say who's at fault,, maybe the builder never did it that way, it could have been the previous owner. Either way it will have to be fixed, so before it is, get a plumber in to have a look at the piping and get his opinion on it.
That's one of the drawbacks with dot and dab, the space behind the plasterboard is so tight, there's no room for cables, pipes etc. If that had been a battened/plasterboarded wall with a small cavity, there wouldn't have been a problem with the pipes, as they could have been set further back, away from the plasterboard. See what a plumber thinks and take it from there.

 

[1john]

i would be looking to drain the system, remove the rad, cut a 200mm wide rip of plasterboard out where the pipes are, chase the wall to recess the pipes and then dab a new peice of plasterboard in the gap and either tape and fill the joins or have the whole wall skimmed.

what size are the pipes?? 10mm of 15mm

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

What I would do, is remove the damaged area, make sure it is the pipes.
If it is, chase out around the pipes, fit some plastic conduit over them as a sleeve, then fix them back to wall.
This will stop the pipes from cracking the plaster, as the pipes when they go warm/cold will expand and contract inside the plastic sleeve, then plaster patch wall.

 

[Stu1977]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I think the best bet will be to call a plumber out and get their advice.

If it is a leak then we're covered under the buildings guarantee and so all the work including the replastering will be covered. If it isn't a leak then I think I might just take the cheap option and patch it up myself, as we're not planning on staying in the flat for much longer and don't really want to spend anymore than I have to. Unfortunately I'm not DIY profficient enough to attempt to cut out the affected area and then put up more plasterboard...

 

[1john]

if it's a leak and covered under insurance etc, why not put up a picture?