Cracks in your house can be a serious damage, but in most cases it is not serious in Portuguese properties. This is due to the way it is built here, where everything is built in concrete that cannot give way and the geological conditions with many movements in the underground. When the concrete cannot yield when the ground moves, it cracks. The most dangerous cracks are those that appear and develop quickly. Check your house for cracks once a year to prevent the cracks from causing moisture damage.
What can cracks do to a house?
Cracks in the house are basically not good. But remember that most of the cracks that usually worry homeowners aren’t a particularly big problem. On the other hand, cracks can easily be the start of more serious problems, which can eventually break down parts of the house.
Why do cracks appear in the house?
There can be many reasons why cracks occur. The most common are:
- Undersizing and/or faulty construction and poor workmanship.
- Impacts from storms and wind.
- Normal drying after completion of construction work.
- Moistening causing expansions or contractions.
- Temperature fluctuations.
- Corrosion in masonry.
- Movements in the underground that cause the foundation to “settle”.
- different materials that do not “work” the same, put together.
Undersizing and/or faulty construction and poor workmanship
Undersizing and/or faulty construction is a fairly common phenomenon. For example, cracks in floors and ceilings in old buildings are often due to the beam layer being undersized in relation to how much weight it must bear.
Undersizing building components usually results in cracks in the long term, but in very serious cases the building component collapses.
Unfortunately, it is also not unusual to see craftsmanship that is not done quite correctly. If the craftsman does not carry out the work correctly, there is a risk that the different materials will not “work together” and crack.
Impacts from storms and wind
Strong winds can affect a house with both pressure and negative pressure, and the forces can be quite violent.
Houses that stand alone without shelter from other buildings are of course most exposed. Cracks caused by stormy weather are not that common in Portugal – regardless of location.
Cracks caused by wind typically occur if there are construction defects. Constructions that are not done correctly can therefore be affected by storms. It could be the roof, which is not braced properly, and it causes the house to move when it is windy, which can cause cracks and fissures in walls, floors and ceilings.
Normal drying after completion of construction work
Different materials and building parts can shrink when they dry. Many materials can shrink by up to 5 percent over time.
Both cast floors and wooden floors can sink, but at the same time also shrink a little. Together, this can cause the floor to release the foot panel, after which a horizontal crack appears along the panels down by the floor.
Moistening that causes expansion or contraction
Moistening, i.e. the opposite of drying out also occurs in houses. If moisture accumulates, i.a. floors and walls expand and thus create cracks and fissures in the adjacent building parts, most often in the masonry.
Temperature fluctuations
The temperature fluctuates a lot in Portugal, and the relatively large temperature fluctuations can cause building parts and materials to contract or expand. It can create cracks and fissures.
In the vast majority of cases, however, this phenomenon is taken into account, both when house construction is planned and carried out.
Corrosion in masonry
Iron in the construction, so-called masonry ties, can cause cracks in both bricks and joints. This can happen if the iron rusts.
Since the mid-1990s, only galvanized steel and stainless iron have been used in masonry, but previously the iron used was not rust-protected. If the built-in iron is exposed to moisture via leaks in the masonry, it can therefore rust. When iron rusts, it expands and causes the masonry to crack.
Movements in the underground that cause the foundation to settle
The ground beneath us moves, and this can also cause cracks in buildings. Concrete houses can’t generally absorb a lot of movement, and if it is too much, cracks occur in individual building parts. Cracks after underground movements are especially visible in the foundation and masonry.
Can your wooden house crack?
Cracks can also appear in a wooden house. Cracks in wooden houses are somewhat harder to see, and in most cases the cracks are not that bad, as wood and wooden structures can withstand relatively much movement.Therefore, the same problematic cracks as in a brick house do not occur. However, woodwork will crack if it is not maintained and protected with surface treatment when it needs it.
You can find cracks in your house both externally and internally. Below you can see which places you should pay particular attention to.
Exterior
- Externally, cracks can appear almost anywhere. The most common places are:
- At the plinth
- In the masonry
- Above windows and doors
- In the gable
- Close to the corners of the house
- The joints between the windows and the wall
Interior
- Inside the house, cracks can often be seen:
- In walls
- Between the floor and the walls
- Between the walls and the ceiling
- In tiled floors
How do you inspect your house for cracks?
It is generally a good idea to keep an eye on your house’s condition. Once a year you should go for a walk around the house and check for cracks and crevices.
If your house already has cracks and fissures, you must keep an eye on whether they are developing. It might be a good idea to take photos (with date) where you hold a ruler over the crack so you can see how wide and long it is. The image can later reveal whether it has become larger.
If the crack grows, an engineer should be contacted for suggestions for remedial action, before consequential damage occurs.
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