Why Cracks Appear In Ceilings And Walls
Looking around your home, are the cornices showing signs that they need attention? Have bubbles appeared in the paintwork on your walls? Do you see ceiling cracks or bowed ceilings?
Worrying about these problems will not make them go away. Contact Perth’s most reliable residential repairs specialists at NexGen Tradies and ask for a free annual property maintenance inspection. The company covers suburbs from Joondalup to Mandurah and the hills.
Home Maintenance Specialists
A cracked cornice is likely to be caused by ground movement and natural settling. A loose cornice may be caused by shrinkage of the wood to which it is attached. In most cases, these repairs are straightforward, when carried out by a home maintenance specialist from NexGen Tradies.
Bubbles or blisters in paintwork occur when the paint film lifts off the base surface. Heat or moisture, or both, can cause loss of adhesion and eventually the paint peels off. The qualified tradies and handymen working for NexGen Tradies know that while a cosmetic repair may seem easy, the underlying cause should be found and corrected to prevent the problem recurring.
Ceiling cracks also can be cosmetic and simple maintenance is usually all that is needed. However, cracks on a bowed or sagging ceiling may have a more serious origin.
NexGen’s Experienced Roofer
Detecting why a ceiling is sagging will require entry into the roof space, which has hidden dangers that include electrical wiring, overhead obstacles and unstable underfoot conditions. Homeowners are advised against entering a roof or any confined space themselves.
The WA Building Commission’s advice is to engage a suitably qualified person to carry out this activity.
Stay safe, and call NexGen Tradies for an experienced specialist roofer.
Ceiling Collapse Warning
Spontaneous ceiling collapse is rare but does occur. Warning signs of a ceiling under stress may include:
- A loud cracking sound in the ceiling;
- A sagging or dropping of the plasterboard sheeting and-or the cornice; and
- Visual cracking and-or small circles or blisters (nail pops) on the ceiling, which are a sign the plasterboard sheeting may be pulling away from the nails or screws.
According to the WA Building Commission, homeowners who believe their ceiling is vulnerable to collapse should take immediate steps to secure it.
Additionally, ceilings are designed to hold only the weight of the ceiling framing, the ceiling sheeting, ceiling insulation and light weight light fittings. If you intend to store household items in your roof space additional supporting framework will be required.
Some Maintenance Tips
- Moisture entering the roof space can cause damage to the plasterboard sheeting, resulting in sagging of the sheeting and-or failure at the fixing locations. If you have a leak into the roof space, you may need to remove affected insulation (replace once dried) and moisture damaged plasterboard sheeting.
- Homeowners should check that all exhaust fans ducted to the outside air are not discharging into the ceiling space.
- Air conditioning ducts require regular checking to ensure conditioned air is not leaking from them into the ceiling space via tears in the flexible ducting or loose connections.
If you are concerned about cracks or sagging walls, cornices or ceilings, NexGen Tradies owner, Tony McEntee, has the trades you need on tap.
Contact NexGen Tradies and Handymen: 1300 788 714 for peace of mind.
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