A few months ago I walk into my kitchen and see 3 foot cracks in the
paint on the ceiling. A couple of months later I see large cracks in
the paint in my living room ceiling which is on the other side of the
stairwell from the kitchen. Several months before the first crack I
saw termite swarming up the front wall of the house. I ordered
chemicals for termites dug a trench around the house and poured the
chemicals according to the instructions. I also drilled holes in my
patio and poured poison down the holes according to the instructions.
I have not seen any termites since then. The day before I saw the
crack in the kitchen ceiling I drilled a 1 inch diameter hole through
one of the houses supporting beams to run an internet cable through.
Could a hole that small have done this? I don't see any bowing of the
beam through which I drilled the hole. What is causing the ceiling
paint to come off the ceiling in this way.

This could be a lot of things. Assuming it is not termites or water damage
(you said nothing of stains or smell) it may be a settling problem. Are any
floors creeking more. Are you on a crawlspace, (inspect posts under the
house for one that may have slipped off a pier block). Observe the cracks
and imagine the freaming behind, does it seem like the staircase might be
settling. One or two floor house? This time of year when we transition
from cold to hot and wet to dry, there may be opportunity for settling due
to ground drying out or erosion damage earlier in the year



"chickenlittle" wrote in message
oups.com...
A few months ago I walk into my kitchen and see 3 foot cracks in the
paint on the ceiling. A couple of months later I see large cracks in
the paint in my living room ceiling which is on the other side of the
stairwell from the kitchen. Several months before the first crack I
saw termite swarming up the front wall of the house. I ordered
chemicals for termites dug a trench around the house and poured the
chemicals according to the instructions. I also drilled holes in my
patio and poured poison down the holes according to the instructions.
I have not seen any termites since then. The day before I saw the
crack in the kitchen ceiling I drilled a 1 inch diameter hole through
one of the houses supporting beams to run an internet cable through.
Could a hole that small have done this? I don't see any bowing of the
beam through which I drilled the hole. What is causing the ceiling
paint to come off the ceiling in this way.

In article .com,
says...
beam through which I drilled the hole. What is causing the ceiling
paint to come off the ceiling in this way.



A guess would be moisture. If it were termites there would be a grit or
sand stuck to the ceiling/walls.
http://arrow-pestcontrol.com/tdamage.JPG
It is common to see flaking paint with termite damage, but it seems to
show up more years after the termites are gone.

Are the cracks in the paint only?
Is there a pattern to the cracks?
TB

chickenlittle wrote:

A few months ago I walk into my kitchen and see 3 foot cracks in the
paint on the ceiling. A couple of months later I see large cracks in
the paint in my living room ceiling which is on the other side of the
stairwell from the kitchen. Several months before the first crack I
saw termite swarming up the front wall of the house. I ordered
chemicals for termites dug a trench around the house and poured the
chemicals according to the instructions. I also drilled holes in my
patio and poured poison down the holes according to the instructions.
I have not seen any termites since then. The day before I saw the
crack in the kitchen ceiling I drilled a 1 inch diameter hole through
one of the houses supporting beams to run an internet cable through.
Could a hole that small have done this? I don't see any bowing of the
beam through which I drilled the hole. What is causing the ceiling
paint to come off the ceiling in this way.


I had the same problem once in one room. Turns out that the termites
had gotten into the wall near the corner of that room (also the corner
of the house) and ate away the studs up to about six feet. They also
ate out the seal (bottom board) and partly into the floor. A termite
contract paid for all the repairs but I was there during the repairs and
they actually had to jack up the corner of the house about three inches
where it had settled due to the termite damage. That was enough to
cause the cracks. So, how can you check for yourself ? Take an ice
pick and try to run it into the wall where you think there has been
damage. If the ice pick goes in fairly easy (into the stud) then you
have damage. Termite also eat behind the old style (paper wall board)
also used on the ceilings in older houses. This leaves a hollow tunnel
underneath which causes the paint to crack. Push with your finger on
top of the crack and if you can push through fairly easy then you have
this damage.

J

chickenlittle wrote:
A few months ago I walk into my kitchen and see 3 foot cracks in the
paint on the ceiling. A couple of months later I see large cracks in
the paint in my living room ceiling which is on the other side of the
stairwell from the kitchen. Several months before the first crack I
saw termite swarming up the front wall of the house. I ordered
chemicals for termites dug a trench around the house and poured the
chemicals according to the instructions. I also drilled holes in my
patio and poured poison down the holes according to the instructions.
I have not seen any termites since then. The day before I saw the
crack in the kitchen ceiling I drilled a 1 inch diameter hole through
one of the houses supporting beams to run an internet cable through.
Could a hole that small have done this? I don't see any bowing of the
beam through which I drilled the hole. What is causing the ceiling
paint to come off the ceiling in this way.

It might pay to have a professional exterminator and a home inspector to
check these things out. It is kind of hard to see from here.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

There are cracks in the paint only. The cracks in the living room and
the kitchen are approximately above the beam I drilled the one inch
hole in.

I haven't noticed that the floors are creaking more. On the other hand
we have a pergo type flooring in the kitchen and there are places where
the flooring is separating. The floor has a basement and two stories
above it. The cracks appeared on the ceiling of the first floor.

There is no sand or grit on the ceiling walls.