Is this structural damage from storing too much in the loft?

jammycodger · 17 Nov 2014

This morning I noticed these cracks had appeared in 2 bedrooms of my house and I'm worried I've done something very stupid by putting too much stuff in our loft.

http://i.imgur.com/FjPLUC5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HAQxuAi.jpg

I'm clearing the loft out as soon as I get in but I wanted to ask - if this is structural damage, where do I go from here? If I remove everything will the house be OK? Or is it more serious than that now?

The stuff has been in the loft for 2 months now and these cracks seem to have appeared very recently. Very worried now!

EddieM · 17 Nov 2014

jammycodger said:
This morning I noticed these cracks had appeared in 2 bedrooms of my house and I'm worried I've done something very stupid by putting too much stuff in our loft.

http://i.imgur.com/FjPLUC5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HAQxuAi.jpg

I'm clearing the loft out as soon as I get in but I wanted to ask - if this is structural damage, where do I go from here? If I remove everything will the house be OK? Or is it more serious than that now?

The stuff has been in the loft for 2 months now and these cracks seem to have appeared very recently. Very worried now!

They don't look anything like big enough to be structural... at the moment

jeds · 17 Nov 2014

I doubt it but the photos don't really give anything away. There's a dozen things that might cause that sort of cracking. Poor detailing or poor installation being top of the list. By that I mean the detailing and fixing might have been normal for the day but poor by todays standards.

jammycodger · 17 Nov 2014

It's a Victorian house and we have buses that roar past all day and night (and shake the house), but my concern is because it has only appeared in the last 2 months - since putting stuff in the loft.

freddiemercurystwin · 17 Nov 2014

Holy Cow look at the size of those!!!! I would get off this bloody forum and get yourself home this instant and clear the loft, that’s if it’s not too late and the lot hasn’t come down already taking with it the floor below which does often happen. Consider wearing some protective gear when you go up there and for god sake have someone stand around just in case it should come down whilst you’re up there!

jeds · 17 Nov 2014

Overloading the loft might have been contributory to the cracks but it's unlikely you've caused any structural damage. When you clear the loft the joists will recover. Not something to be overly worried about.

EddieM · 17 Nov 2014

how much (roughly) does the stuff you put up there weigh, kilograms, tonnes, tens of tonnes (unlikely)

If it's in the kilograms to tonne or so area, either distribute it more evenly, get rid of some of it, and then polyfiller the cracks, it really doesn't look anything like a structural crack.

freddiemercurystwin · 17 Nov 2014

Only joking!

AronSearle · 17 Nov 2014

Even if you permanantly deflected the joists it doesnt really matter, they are only loaded when you walk on them or store stuff on them. Otherwise all they do is hold up a bit of plaster and insulation and resist spread, which won't be affected by a bit of sag.

jammycodger · 17 Nov 2014

Phew.

Thanks so much for putting my mind at ease!

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Is this structural damage from storing too much in the loft?

EddieM

EddieM

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