Why Do I Have Cracks in My Ceiling? (6 Types of Cracks to Look Out For)

The lineage of ceiling cracks can be unmanageable to decipher, specially because they come in all unlike sizes, patterns, and colorations. As a concerned homeowner, you need to be able to pinpoint the accurate cause to execute the correct repair .
We know that diagnosing ceiling cracks can be a torment procedure, so we are here to help .
Dalinghaus Construction Inc. has been in the foundation garment diligence for decades. jointly, we have over a hundred years of compound foundation diagnostic and animate experience. After servicing thousands of foundations – we ’ re certain we can help you pinpoint where those ceiling cracks are coming from ( whether you choose to work with us or not in the event that your ceiling cracks are caused by basis damage. )

After reading this article, you will be able to diagnose park ceiling cracks and determine their particular features, causes, and the modal earnestness of each fissure. So you ’ ll know the veracious repair at the correct time –
To give you the basics, we ’ ll report :

• Hairline ceiling cracks
• Straight ceiling cracks
• yellow or brown ceiling cracks
• Spiderweb ceiling cracks
• Cracks between the ceiling and wall
• Bowed ceiling and bombastic ceiling cracks

so, let ’ s crack on –

6 Common Household Ceiling Cracks

Hairline Ceiling Cracks

Hairline ceiling cracks are bantam, thinly fissures that about look like person painted haircloth to the wallboard. Hairline cracks are typically caused by plaster or drywall mud issues, not the drywall itself. extreme point fluctuations in humidity and temperature can result in poultice expansion and shrinkage ( in mastermind correlation coefficient with the body of water absorption ) .
The continuous expansion and shoplifting weaken the adhesive properties of the wallboard mud .
In addition, when a ceiling has multiple layers of rouge, the odds of crazing – those fine hairline cracks – go up. multiple layers of paint can besides result in a lepidote texture on your ceiling, alike to crocodile bark .
While hairline ceiling cracks might be an eyesore, they are not indicative of serious structural damage. They are normally addressed easily enough with a bracing coat of paint. temperature and humidity control can help deter future hairline cracks from occurring .

Straight Ceiling Cracks

Straight ceiling cracks run in a square line, so straight it about looks like they were applied with a rule. generally, these cracks are straight because they follow the straightaway border of the wallboard tape along the wallboard joint. Ceiling cracks tend to be fine and can generally be attributed to an insufficient amount of plaster used during the drywall installation. The wallboard videotape is unable to by rights adhere to the joints and peels off due to a lack of lastingness .
Foundation colony can exacerbate poor tape jobs in summation to eminent humidity.

In short, straightaway lines are about always the resultant role of an incapable wallboard tape application. A professional can quickly address this by patch-and-painting. Straight ceiling cracks are not usually ominous or suggestive signs of serious structural damage, just human error.   

yellow or Brown Ceiling Cracks

Yellow, embrown, and discolored ceiling cracks about always point to body of water price – whether it ’ s from a roof leak or a burst pipe. Depending on how newly the leak is, these ceiling cracks may even be damp to the touch .
With yellow or brown ceiling cracks, it is imperative to determine the source of the leak and address it before repairing your drywall.
Discolored ceiling cracks generally are not a bless of good morphologic damage, but unmitigated moistures can create a whole master of ceremonies of problems – mold, rotted wallboard, and spalling ( depending on the placement and extent of the leak ). You can repaint over these cracks if they ’ re little adequate, larger cracks may require professional wallboard replacement .
 

 

Spiderweb Ceiling Cracks

Spiderweb ceiling cracks branch out in a spiderweb traffic pattern. Spiderweb ceiling cracks often signify basis liquidation ( denoting compromised structural integrity ) .
When a home settles, it settles unevenly. This odd colonization exerts undue blackmail on the home ’ second foundation garment, which transfers this pressure up into the framing of the family and the wallboard. other foundation settlement signs to look for in summation to spiderweb ceiling cracks include :

• Out of square window and door frames
• slop floors

To learn more about the signs and symptoms of initiation settlement, read our article 5 Signs of Foundation Issues .
If your ceiling spiderweb cracks are smaller than 1/16th of an inch, there credibly international relations and security network ’ t a lot to be worried about. occasionally, wallboard mud is applied excessively thinly and can result in spiderweb cracks after drying out .

Cracks Between the Ceiling and Wall

Ceiling cracks that seem to pull away from the wall are typically the result of truss uplift. Trusses act as the frame for the ceiling and ceiling and help determine its shape. ceiling trusses are designed to be flexible and adjust to humidity and temperature fluctuations. occasionally, normally due to extreme wreathe or weather fluctuations, the trusses can pull aside from the ceiling .
This leaves an unsightly gap between your wall and ceiling. This col is typically ascribable to the wrong attachment of the ceiling to a non-load-bearing wall. This is a more serious ceiling crack that needs to be dealt with by professionals, such as a construction company.

Bowed Ceiling and Large Ceiling Cracks

If your ceiling is bowing and scarred with large, obtrusive cracks down the middle – there is most likely severe structural damage. The structural integrity could be compromised by extreme point water damage, an excessive total of system of weights on the floor above the ceiling, or foundation settlement .
Foundation settlement can exert besides much tension on the trusses and framing above your ceiling, causing your ceiling to warp and the sheetrock to crack. In ordering to determine if your foundation is settling, reach out to a foundation rectify specialist near you for a foundation garment inspection .

Call the right Repairmen or Repair the Cracks Yourself

In this article, you learned how to identify park ceiling cracks, determine their likely source of origin, and how seriously you should treat each crack. This information will help guide you to whether you need to hire a professional or fix it yourself .
Where there are ceiling cracks, early cracks credibly aren ’ triiodothyronine far behind, which can point to foundation issues or early problems that need to be addressed. Educate yourself. To learn more about sheetrock cracks in general, in your ceiling or walls, read our article Top 5 Primary Reasons for Sheetrock Cracks.

Are you worried that your ceiling cracks are diagnostic of foundation settlement ? Or possibly you good want to rule basis liquidation out ? If you live in Southern California or Arizona and would like to book a release initiation inspection, click the connect below –