Hi,
Two years ago we had a first floor extension built. This time last year I noticed a hairline crack going from the corner of the property to the side of the window in a stair (step) formation. I have monitored it and it does appear to have got slightly bigger in the last year although it is still only around 1mm wide in the worst parts. The crack seems to be wider in the vertical part of the step than the horizontal part and no stone brick has cracking through it.
Now I have seen conflicting messages about step cracks from it being definite subsidence to possible thermal movement/shrinkage.
The extension is South facing so I am wondering if it is just the extension settling down and natural shrinkage that has caused it.
With the crack being at worst 1mm, I don’t want to hit the panic button just yet and get out a Structural Engineer if it is just natural settlement/shrinkage.
I guess my question is can thermal movement/shrinkage have caused this to happen?
Two years ago we had a first floor extension built. This time last year I noticed a hairline crack going from the corner of the property to the side of the window in a stair (step) formation. I have monitored it and it does appear to have got slightly bigger in the last year although it is still only around 1mm wide in the worst parts. The crack seems to be wider in the vertical part of the step than the horizontal part and no stone brick has cracking through it.
Now I have seen conflicting messages about step cracks from it being definite subsidence to possible thermal movement/shrinkage.
The extension is South facing so I am wondering if it is just the extension settling down and natural shrinkage that has caused it.
With the crack being at worst 1mm, I don’t want to hit the panic button just yet and get out a Structural Engineer if it is just natural settlement/shrinkage.
I guess my question is can thermal movement/shrinkage have caused this to happen?
