The cracks are one of the significant structural problems with the buildings. Almost every building faces this problem at some point in its life.
This issue should be addressed at the right time otherwise it could be troublesome to handle in the future. You should not compromise the safety of your household.
Causes of Cracks:
- The settling of the foundation causes cracks on the wall.
- Temperature changes and variations in the humidity level lead to cracks in the building.
- If your house is near to the road, the vibration due to heavy vehicles can cause wall cracks.
- The plumbing failure or rainwater also causes cracks on the wall of a building.
Types:
Vertical Cracks:
This type of crack often appears due to lintel failure. That’s why these cracks are usually seen near the windows or doors. If the vertical cracks are wider than 1cm, you should take immediate measures to tackle them. The temporary solution is to fill these cracks with resins or any other material, but a long-lasting solution is to replace the failed lentils.
Diagonal Cracks:
These types of cracks are usually seen near the stairs. It is a sign of structural movement, and it imposes a severe threat to the stability of your house. The differential settling of the foundation causes it. These types of cracks appear at 30-75 degree angles. This type of crack is usually a thin hair-like crack. The solution to this issue is to improve the drainage in your home. You should also fix the plumbing problem. Installing new gutters can also solve this problem as they will provide a free path to the rainwater. The expansion and contraction of soil can also cause diagonal cracks on the wall of your home.
Horizontal Cracks:
These types of cracks are the most common in houses. These cracks can damage your foundation. It is a great threat to the structural integrity of your house—the main cause of these types of cracks in the soil pressure. You must hire a structural as well as a geological engineer to overcome this problem. First of all, the soil calculations should be done as it is the root cause for the horizontal cracks. After that, proper reinforcement of the foundations must be done to provide stability to your house. It is an expensive and time-consuming process, but it should be addressed immediately; otherwise, the problem will increase over time, and ultimately, you will have to spend more to solve this problem.
Conclusion:
The cracks in your house can cause serious problems. There are various types of cracks caused by different types of reasons. The vertical and diagonal cracks can be treated at low cost. The horizontal cracks require high expenses and time for a reliable solution. The cracks appearing in your home’s foundation must be taken seriously so that you can ensure the structural integrity of your house. You should consult with a contractor who can offer roanoke structural wall repair
