Gloxx1961 wrote:
Hi hope someone can tell me if I am doing the right thing. Last
year my brother noticed a crack on my side wall it was only 3ft in
length it just looked like the mortar was crumbling he told me to keep
an eye on it. I looked at it again earlier this year (Feb) and I was
shocked to find the crack its now over 10ft high and has gone through
two small half bricks into the upstairs part of the wall, the initial
crack hasn't gone through the damp proof course just gone upwards
mostly following the mortar except fot the two half bricks. I have
informed insurance company in Febuary but only got a final reply that
this crack was due to earthquake movement that happend in 2001/2002 and
that I wasn't insured with them at the time and to take it up with
insuer that I was. In the mean time the mortar has started to fall out
and I am worried that I will be piggy in the middle the bad weather has
started and I know the crack will get worse by the time winter has
ended. What I have done and probably will have to re-do-it is I have
got Duck tape waterproof and some bin bags and went up some ladders and
sealed the crack under bags so keep the water and frost out hopefully,
I just want to know am I doing the right thing or will I make it worse
please help
Thank You

Many walls crack for many different reasons. I would use a silicone
dispenser and fill it with silicone or tar to keep the rain out and
just hope it doesnt get worse. It may not get worse.
It would be interesting to see a picture of the full wall and the full
house to evaluate the structure. Do you have a fireplace behind the
crack by any chance? One big fire could cause it or a chimney fire.
If your walls are all plumb all round you shouldnt worry too much.