The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
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

This should also be apparent inside also, is there one inside? if so you
need a surveyor.

Cracks will run further and further untill it cant go anywhere else ie a
crack in a pane of glass will continue to course through the pane till it
reaches the other side of the frame,the only way to stop that crack is to
drill a hole in the pane of glass at the immediate end of the crack.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite


Thank you for your comments

I do not have any cracks inside where the crack is on the outside.
I know what needs to be done but just having to wait to see if insurers
will pay out my insurer seems to have passed it on to the previous
insurer I have been intouch with them but they just might say its over
five years your not insured with us tough!!!