More cracks this year?

[Anonymous]

While conducting my usual "Shall I shan't I? " Spring clean/maintenance wander around our place I have seen many more hairline cracks than in previous years. Lots of the 'old friends' have opened more than usual and a fair number of new ones have appeared. Has anyone else noticed this? We are 15thC. timber framed so are accustomed to a bit of seasonal movement. And Somerset rather than the parched SE! Should we be worried?

 

[Anonymous]

Hairline cracks........!!???

You are lucky

The time to be worried is when you can get your hand in the cracks.

It all goes with the territory if you wish to live in a wood frame building.

 

[Anonymous]

When you can put your hand in - no concern.

When you think to yourself "I don't remember installing a window there" and when DG salesmen call on the doorstep offering to install their finest placcy units that you should worrry.

 

[Anonymous]

Lol, Stephen!

 

[Anonymous]

As others have already said somewhat humorously, don't worry about a few cracks in a timberframe period property. Such houses move around a bit all the time - that's the beauty of timberframe, it simply adjusts itself to expansion, shrinkage, ground movement and so on.
What is it that's cracking? Is it exterior rendering - if so lime or cement? Or is it internal plaster - lime or gypsum?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not worried, just curious!! Is it a sign of dryer ground below perhaps? Most of the shakes are constant, but the gaps between the floor joists are letting out more grot than usual. House had a structural survey last year so unlikely to be a major problem. I quite like the constant discussion from visitors having trouble opening doors etc.

 

[Anonymous]

It's one of the following:-

Wetter ground
Dryer ground
Higher atmospheric humidity
Lower atmospheric humidity
Growing trees
Cut down trees
More wind
Less wind
More sun
Less sun
Burst pipe underground
Fixed pipe underground
....and so on and so forth....!

 

[Anonymous]

My friend has a house in Yellowknife, Canada which is wood framed and built on the permafrost.

He tells me it is quite normal that the houses slowly sink in to the ground over time and have to be jacked up every couple of years. He had his done this year and there was a 6 inch difference from one side of the house to the other. No problem once it was straightened out- just filled in the cracks in the plaster and redecorated <IMG SRC="http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussing/smileys/smile.gif" BORDER=0 ALT="">

 

[Anonymous]

Tell him not to breathe so heavily - that way the house won't sink into the permafrost so much!