outer wall on a domestic house has a crack appearing

[aki69]

Hi all. I have a crack appearing (1/4") in my wall (2 1/2 feet tall), just above the drain. I pointed it up not so long ago, however, the plaster has just simply cracked again.
To stop/slow this process down, I was going to chip out some mortar quite near the base of the house and the ground, and push in a steel plate (approx 3" width and 2 1/2 feet long). The plate shold be adequate to cover the visual roots of the crack ( i.e the parts of the crack that I can see). I was just going to point it up after.

Is this process advisable. As You can guess I'm not a builder, more of a imaginative diyer/botcher!!!!lol

Pls can somebody advise me if its safe or not. Nice one

 

[savvles]

Hello.
A quarter inch crack is a considerable one...especially if it keeps coming back. I know the royal institute of chartered surveyors (of which I am NOT a member) suggests subsidence should be investigated with cracks of 3mm (eigth of an inch) or more, so I'd try the info they have there on www.rics.org.
Are there any trees in the area? This dry weather won't help as all the water drains away and the ground collapses...

 

[Static]

Maybe check the obvious first.. the crack is above a drain.. check if the drain is burst.
Putting a plate in will just mean the crack will appear around the plated area and thus you may end up with 3 or so cracks

 

[aki69]

I think I will take statics advice and break the concerete around the source of the crack (the drain) and see if it has leaked. it seems like the most plausible cause. thanks again.

I still think my idea was cool!