Hi
I've joined here sinply to ask this question!!! Hoping to get my bil out to have a look as he's a builder but thought i'd try and put my mind at ease (which is no easy thing!) I'm sorry now if I waffle on!!!!!
I have become aware of an extremely large crack across my living room ceiling! I was aware of some bowing of the ceiling, and also that directly upstairs (which is my son's room) that the floor was springy not long after I moved in here! I rent the property from a friend (who I need to contact about my concerns) and she had been trying to sell the property before hand and had surveys etc. I was told that any cracks were due to settlement and didn't think anything of what I'd noticed due to this! However I've lived here more than 2 years now with 2 very cold (and snowy) winters and 1 dry summer, and just recently a heatwave in April! Also last weekend we had the strongest winds ever!!!! I noticed this crack the other day because I happened to be sat at my dining table below and looked up, I have no idea how long it could've been like that! Anyway since then I've noticed a million cracks, and I'm trying to remain calm! Above the window in the upstairs room there is a pattern of zig zag cracks along it, there are also cracks in the lower corners of that wall. There is a boxed off corner to the right of my son's window that actually is above the kitchen, and this has a crack from my son's ceiling to the skirting board. I've noticed some faint signs of zig zag cracks along the walls in both the living room and my son's room. I've been outside, and noticed small but still visible zig zag cracks in 2 parts of this same wall altho there are no internal cracks in these places (yet!) My floor is slightly raised from the ground, by about 2 bricks (you have to step down from front and back). My home is semi detached and I have walked right round the side to where this corner is (luckily it is exposed) and in the very corner, 2 bricks up there is a bit of difference in the wall (the bricks above seem to half bulged out from these foundation bricks. The cement in the brickword between what I assume is the floor of my sitting room and the ground seems to be crumbly and not very consistent now. Also I have tested my living room floor which also seems to have slight spring in the same spot as in my son's room altho it is nowhere near as severe.
Things I know about my area, are number 1, there is a mine shaft under the carpark beside my home (same side as these problems), and 2 further mineshafts on the estate (which is why my landlord could not sell the house). Also, number 2 there has been recent digging up for new electricity pipes underground (along the front of the property and also in the carpark). One other thing I will add is my son recently (last week) flooded the bathroom which did come thru the kitchen ceiling slightly (on opposite side of the house), but caused little other damage (landlord was out to check), so I do not think this is related but thought I'd mention it in case anyone thinks otherwise (and in which case I would be responsible for getting this problem sorted out)! My main worry that this is in fact subsidence!!
I should also add that the crack in the ceiling is in a lounge diner which is extremely big, and hasn't got a dividing wall. I'm not sure what support there is between the living room ceiling and upstairs flooring!!
Please please tell me what you think! I'm going to upload photos of what I can show you all!
Marion
I've joined here sinply to ask this question!!! Hoping to get my bil out to have a look as he's a builder but thought i'd try and put my mind at ease (which is no easy thing!) I'm sorry now if I waffle on!!!!!
I have become aware of an extremely large crack across my living room ceiling! I was aware of some bowing of the ceiling, and also that directly upstairs (which is my son's room) that the floor was springy not long after I moved in here! I rent the property from a friend (who I need to contact about my concerns) and she had been trying to sell the property before hand and had surveys etc. I was told that any cracks were due to settlement and didn't think anything of what I'd noticed due to this! However I've lived here more than 2 years now with 2 very cold (and snowy) winters and 1 dry summer, and just recently a heatwave in April! Also last weekend we had the strongest winds ever!!!! I noticed this crack the other day because I happened to be sat at my dining table below and looked up, I have no idea how long it could've been like that! Anyway since then I've noticed a million cracks, and I'm trying to remain calm! Above the window in the upstairs room there is a pattern of zig zag cracks along it, there are also cracks in the lower corners of that wall. There is a boxed off corner to the right of my son's window that actually is above the kitchen, and this has a crack from my son's ceiling to the skirting board. I've noticed some faint signs of zig zag cracks along the walls in both the living room and my son's room. I've been outside, and noticed small but still visible zig zag cracks in 2 parts of this same wall altho there are no internal cracks in these places (yet!) My floor is slightly raised from the ground, by about 2 bricks (you have to step down from front and back). My home is semi detached and I have walked right round the side to where this corner is (luckily it is exposed) and in the very corner, 2 bricks up there is a bit of difference in the wall (the bricks above seem to half bulged out from these foundation bricks. The cement in the brickword between what I assume is the floor of my sitting room and the ground seems to be crumbly and not very consistent now. Also I have tested my living room floor which also seems to have slight spring in the same spot as in my son's room altho it is nowhere near as severe.
Things I know about my area, are number 1, there is a mine shaft under the carpark beside my home (same side as these problems), and 2 further mineshafts on the estate (which is why my landlord could not sell the house). Also, number 2 there has been recent digging up for new electricity pipes underground (along the front of the property and also in the carpark). One other thing I will add is my son recently (last week) flooded the bathroom which did come thru the kitchen ceiling slightly (on opposite side of the house), but caused little other damage (landlord was out to check), so I do not think this is related but thought I'd mention it in case anyone thinks otherwise (and in which case I would be responsible for getting this problem sorted out)! My main worry that this is in fact subsidence!!
I should also add that the crack in the ceiling is in a lounge diner which is extremely big, and hasn't got a dividing wall. I'm not sure what support there is between the living room ceiling and upstairs flooring!!
Please please tell me what you think! I'm going to upload photos of what I can show you all!
Marion
