Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    Hannajack's Avatar
    Hannajack Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Jan 19, 2011, 09:14 PM
    Cracks in drywall of 20 year old house normal?
    My house is about 22 years old and I have been finding a few cracks in my drywall. Does this mean I have foundation problems? We have lived here for 10 years and I have found about 5 so far. I have also found a few cracks in the basement ceiling.
    Flying Blue Eagle's Avatar
    Flying Blue Eagle Posts: 2,056, Reputation: 225
    Ultra Member
     
    #2

    Jan 19, 2011, 11:16 PM

    Hannajack-Without being able to inspect it personaly, I will tell you about two otherreasons this can happen #1- Yes it could be caused by settling o the foundition,
    But it could very weell be caused by expansion and extraction [ contrsaction];; Which is caused by the cold nights and hot day severy building on the earth,does the same thing every day and night;;NO MATTER WHAT IT IS BUILT OUT OF <WALK DOWN the halls,of a large building or a hospital .The metal plates you see on the floor and up the walls are called expansion joints ,I have seen those concrete joints open 3or4inches at night and openm about the same during he day;;; #2- I don't know what area you live in but [ IF YOU LIVE IN A AREA WHEREYOU HAVE SLIGHT EARTH QUAKES EVERT DAY THEN THIS MORE THEN LIKELY THE CULPERT CAUSDEING YOUR PROBLEMS OF THE WALL &CEILING CRACKS & floors;;; TALK to the building Inspector at city hall or the local TV station or radio station,about any tremmors in your area { EARTH QUACKES}:I hope that I have helped you in some way or at least got you on the right tract,to the cause.;; Have a better night and a bettertomorrow and GOD BLESS ::F.B.E
    PS- ASK the building Inspector about the { Expsansion and CONTRACTION ON HOUSES AND BUILDING wHILE YOUER DOWN THERE ;;;f.b.e.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #3

    Jan 20, 2011, 06:00 AM

    Does this mean I have foundation problems?
    After 22 years, not very likely. All houses settle. Most settling occurs in the first year. A house on a good foundation on solid soil will settle about 1" in 100 years.

    Other things such as vibration and the movement of framing members, caused by humidity changes, can cause cracks. Its kind of hard to see the cracks from here but if they occur at drywall joints it is more likely that the drywall finisher went a little light with the mud underneath the tape.

    Look closely. If the crack is actually the drywall tape (use to span the joints) separating from the drywall, using a putty knife, open up the crack slightly. Push some drywall mud between the tape and the wall. Push the tape into the mud and smooth with the putty knife. The put a thin coat of drywall mud over the tape, feathering the mud out about 2 to 3 inches beyond the crack. When dry sand and paint.

    If the cracks are truly cracks and not the tape lifting, spread a thin coat of drywall mud over the crack about 4" wide. Tape by embedding the paper tape in the mud. Smooth the tape with a 5 or 6" drywall knife. Smooth from the center of the length of tape toward the ends. After dry, put another thin coat over the tape feathering out about 5 or 6" each side.

    After dry sand smooth, if necessary, and put a on final thin coat.
    Hannajack's Avatar
    Hannajack Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #4

    Jan 20, 2011, 09:55 PM
    Comment on hkstroud's post
    Thank you very much. The cracks are appearing in strange places all over the house... sometimes I feel like my house is going to collapse and fall apart!!
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #5

    Jan 21, 2011, 08:06 PM

    Show us a picture of a few.

    Five cracks in the drywall in 10 years and you feel like your house is going to collapse? Being a bit dramatic aren't you. An annoyance at most.

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Are drywall cracks in arched doorways normal? How much is normal? [ 3 Answers ]

I have large, arched, drywall covered openings in my livingroom and dining areas. Some of them are showing cracks along drywall tape seams. The house is about 5 years old. My question is, how much is normal? Thanks!

Patching cracks in drywall and plaster walls before painting [ 0 Answers ]

What do you charge for patching cracks that are caused by a homes' foundation being compromised by construction going on from an attached house. The construction consisted of the previous house being totally gutted and eliminated to build a new structure. Some of the cracks are worse than others...

How many cracks are normal in a new house? [ 2 Answers ]

My house is 5 years old and 98% of all my door casings are separating at the both corners- several of the windows are separating and the fire place is also separating - by separating I mean there is now a small gap. I am worried that the house may have a structural issue.

Interior Drywall Cracks [ 1 Answers ]

5 years ago, I moved into a house that was built in 1978 and it is in S. California. The house was painted after I moved in. In addition, about a month ago the roof was replaced with light weight tile. Starting last year, I starting to see few cracks. Is it notmal? Any insight will be helpful. ...

Continued drywall cracks [ 5 Answers ]

Hey folks, I moved into a new home about 14 months ago. We had a foundation problem where the foundation cracked and one of the back corners sunk about 3 inches. The builder has fixed the foundation problem (he called in Olshan) and has fixed most of the interior problems. One problem we are...


View more questions Search