Understanding cracks in your house Take 15 minutes to walk through any house and the chances are good that you will find several cracks in the inside and outside walls and possibly also some cracks through floor tiles or in the garage floor screed. Cracks are one of the most common problems found during home inspections of South African homes.

Structural damage in plaster ceilings is due in large part to a lack of support between the ceiling and the floor above. As the floor above a plaster ceiling flexes because of weight or movement, the flexing transfers to the plaster covering, causing it to develop cracks. Sony Spectralayers Crack.

The role of the home inspector is to diagnose those cracks and decided whether they are serious (structural). The home inspection report will examine the possible causes for the cracks and usually recommend a crack repair process. Foundation cracks The reason why foundations crack is usually soil movement compounded by inferior construction.

Foundation footings carry the weight of the walls and roof and so cracks in foundations will almost always result in wall cracks also. Expansive soils Most populated areas of South Africa have expansive soils. These soils contain a high percentage of clay which absorbs a lot of water. This can cause the soil to expand by a tenth or more as moisture enters it during the rainy season.

The expanding soil then causes huge pressure on foundations and slabs. This soil also contracts during the dry months causing big differences in the pressure being generated on the foundation or slab. Some indications that you are dealing with expansive soils are: • Cracked foundations. • Heaving and cracking of walls and floor slabs. • Jammed windows and doors. • Ruptured pipes • Heaving and cracking of paving Soil movement can also result from soil collapse if the soil is sandy or more commonly if the foundations are eroded and undermined by badly managed rain water.

For instance downpipes discharging at the base of walls can result in foundation subsidence over time. Tree roots growing underneath foundations and slabs in areas of expansive soils can also cause problems as the roots can cause the surrounding soil to become excessively dry. Slab cracks Slab cracks are usually either the results of inferior materials and construction techniques or the result of incorrect placement and compaction of the fill beneath the concrete slab. Pokemon Genesis Rom Zip Download.

If the concrete floor slab is insufficiently strong it is likely to crack especially if the ground beneath the slab is unsuitable and insufficiently compacted before the slab was cast. Wall cracks Most houses in South Africa sooner or later develop wall cracks. Most of these cracks are not serious and can be ascribed to slight settlement of the foundations, mortar shrinkage, or slight roof movement. However, some cracks can be potentially serious and are the result of significant foundation displacement, water penetration, or excessive roof movement. An experienced and trained home inspector should know the difference and the home inspection report should indicate whether a crack is a symptom of structural weakness and which cracks merely indicate the gradual (natural) deterioration of structures.

The most common reasons for cracking of brick walls are settlement, thermal expansion, moisture penetration and roof movement. Settlement cracks Settlement occurs as the house “settles” onto its foundation, often leaves “stair step” cracks and diagonal cracks extending upwards from window and door lintels in its wake. Cosmetic repairs such as new paint or crack repair will not permanently fix problems caused by expansive soil. Thermal cracks Tempperature changes, the sun warming and expanding the brick, often leaves the bricks exerting more pressure on one another than previously applied and can result in vertical or stair step cracks.

Water damage cracks Water penetrating walls from above (especially through cracks on the tops of parapet walls) will cause cracks lower down as the water is drawn downwards through the wall and seeks an exit from the masonry when encountering an impenetrable barrier such as a concrete slab or waterproofing. Roof movement cracks Movement of the roof where it rests on the tops of the walls can also cause wall cracks. These cracks are usually slight and can be seen along the line of the ceiling. However the weight and movement of a badly constructed roof can also result in severe structural damage to the walls below.