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Cracks on Inside of Exterior Wall

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  • 15-08-2017 10:56pm
    #1
    twiga
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭


    I bought a apartment and had it painted recently, but two cracks started to appear in the bedroom (well, the paint was rising as a crack).

    I started to remove it to see what the problem is, looks like some mold on one end and just really crumbly for a lot of it.

    What is the best way to fix this? It is the 3rd floor, so hard to see if cracks are on the outside but doesn't look like it.

    (Note the crack did not cause all the surrounding plaster to fall away in the pictures, I removed that to get to it better)
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    #2
    Right2Write
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,356 ✭✭✭Right2Write


    What surface is the underlying crack in? Is that bonding plaster or blockwork behind? How is the wall constructed do you know?


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    #3
    twiga
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭twiga


    Looks like concrete or perhaps blockwork. It is the main part of the exterior wall, so the crack is not just superficially on the surface it seems. I'm not 100% sure how the wall is constructed, any easy way to tell? Apologies for my lack of knowledge.


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    #4
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,932 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    The render needs to be removed to see if there is damage to the block work.

    Its its concrete slab it should not be cracked like that. I'd speak to the management company about this to investigate if it's wider spread in other apartments.


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    #5
    Right2Write
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,356 ✭✭✭Right2Write


    twiga wrote: »
    Looks like concrete or perhaps blockwork. It is the main part of the exterior wall, so the crack is not just superficially on the surface it seems. I'm not 100% sure how the wall is constructed, any easy way to tell? Apologies for my lack of knowledge.

    Maybe remove a bit more - if it's blockwork, you'll soon come across joints. I don't know much about modern apartment construction - possible they use prefabricated concrete slabs or pour in situ. Differential settlement cracks in walls that I've seen are more vertical in nature, I think yours are horizontal. I've seen horizontal cracks in plaster or render alright. Maybe someone more knowledgeable on likely construction will advise and/or contact the management company (if one) as advised.


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    #6
    twiga
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭twiga


    Thanks for the advice. I just bought the place actually, it's part of an apartment block. Would something like this be covered by the block insurance (should it be something bigger)? I'm the top apartment, so wouldn't be able to claim it was due to something above me...

    I'll check in the attic tomorrow, that might show more clearly if it is blocks (thinking about it, it probably is).

    The cracks are indeed horizontal, about 1.5 meters at the longest (that I know about).

    Thanks again for advice!


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    #7
    twiga
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭twiga


    Found an engineering survey of the apartment. Seems it is due to the roof.

    The gable wall externally is affected by horizontal cracking above the right hand side bedroom window. It appears that rafter strapping has been installed (this should be confirmed by the property management company - the strapping may be covered by timber bridging pieces). The installation of joist level strapping is also recommended to eliminate the possibility of further movement. Maintenance of the apartment roof remains the responsibility of the property management company.


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