So, you woke up this morning, went to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, stared at that crack in the brickwork, and wondered: is that crack in my house getting bigger and should I get it checked out? It’s always a little bit nerve-wracking when your house is starting to show cracks. After all, they can be signs of needing serious repair. In this post, we’ll go through a few different brickwork cracks and discuss when you should get them looked at by a professional.
Hairline cracks
Hairline cracks are tiny cracks in your walls that aren’t super noticeable at first, but once you have noticed them, you can’t stop looking at them. Luckily, they’re not usually something that needs inspection by a professional. The ground moves below your house and your house, therefore, moves with it, resulting in small cracks. Hairline cracks could also be the result of seasonal contraction or expansion in the clay that lies underneath your home. These are easy to fix, with a repatch or a repaint to get the job done.
Vertical cracks
Vertical cracks might indicate the movement of your plaster walls. Generally, this isn’t much to worry about either: unless the cracks are getting noticeably larger. Then it’s time to get them looked at by a professional.
Horizontal cracks
Cracks that are horizontal or at a 45-degree angle could mean a larger problem. These cracks could be the result of water damage or movement in your foundations. Another possible indication of shifting foundations is when the cracks resemble stair steps in your brick walls. This is when it’s best to call a professional in foundation repair like Techniblock.
Most cracks are the result of foundation movement mainly caused by abnormal moisture levels in your soils either from the excess of moisture caused by faulty pipes or surface drainage. Trees on the other hand cause drying related shrinkage in the clay soil resulting in the foundation sinking which causes distress.
Ceiling cracks
Cracks in your ceiling could mean a couple of different things. Spider web cracks are commonly found in older homes that have inevitably shifted in their many years of existence. This is usually nothing to worry about. However, if the cracks continue down the walls, then it might be a sign of serious structural damage – in this case, time to call a foundation repair specialist such as Techniblock.
If you’re still uncertain…
If you’re still a bit worried about cracks appearing in your brickwork, simply call the guys at Techniblock. It’s definitely better to be safe than sorry when it comes to cracks in your house, and the Techniblock team understand this more than anybody!
Techniblock are Melbourne’s finest team for foundational repairs, inspecting cracks in your brickwork and setting about fixing them. They’ve saved hundreds of Melbourne homes from serious damage by implementing preventative foundation repairs before things get out of hand. If you want to do the best thing for your home, give the team at Techniblock a call and arrange an inspection with them today.