I recently bought a house (March 2006 to be exact). The house is about
4 years old cape with walk out basement (built 2001-2002). We had a
home inspector check out the house in February, he noticed a crack in
the drywall in one of the upstairs bedrooms that he said was caused by
the house settling. The inspector also made note that the drywall in
the staircase from 1st to 2nd floor had a little quarter sized bulge
from a poping nail, he said that was normal too.

The people moved out of the house at the end of March and set the
temperature down to 55-60 and then we moved in a week later and put the
temperature back on normal.

After moving everything was good for a few weeks. Sometime in the
beginning of April (less than a month) I noticed that the door to the
upstairs bedroom no longer latched close unless you pulled up on the
door, a few weeks later even pulling up on the door didn't help, it
closes fine but doesn't latch and I notice the gap along the top of the
door is wider on one side than the other.

Towards the end of April I started noticing cracks in the drywall
appearing. Most of the cracks started in the upstairs. The master
bedroom has two hairline cracks (both going directly up to the
ceiling), one above the door that won't latch and another on the
opposite wall right above the window. The upstairs bathroom has a crack
in the corner wall. The upstairs office has a crack above the window
going directly up to the ceiling and the door in this room has a
diagonal crack going from the corner of the door frame.

Downstairs there are three places where I have a crack going from a
door/window frame directly up to the ceiling and finally there is a
crack in the downstairs bathroom between the wall and ceiling.

How much drywall cracking is normal? I am not sure if I should be
worried about this or not. Since I have only been living here for a few
months I thought that I might wait till the fall and see what happens,
I read online from one person that seasonal changes can cause cracks to
appear and then disappear. I am not sure if thats a good approach or
not. I also did make a call to a contractor but after talking with him
I guess I got scared that he didn't seem knowledgable enough, so I want
to find out as much as I can beforehand so I can be more intelligent
about this.

Now for a little bit more info that I am not sure matters. The washer
is on the 1st floor and the people who moved out had a top-loader, I
brought in a front loader. I notice that when I am up in my office
upstairs and the washer spins, I can feel a slight vibration. The
washer itself doesn't seem to too vibrate much but the way the house is
built you can feel the slight vibration. I am not sure if this could be
causing the cracking in the drywall?

My wife is always cold too, so I don't use the A/C too much, probably
much less than the old owners. So could the humidity change in the
house be causing this?

wrote in message
ups.com...
The house is about
4 years old cape with walk out basement (built 2001-2002). We had a
home inspector check out the house in February, he noticed a crack in
the drywall in one of the upstairs bedrooms that he said was caused by
the house settling. The inspector also made note that the drywall in
the staircase from 1st to 2nd floor had a little quarter sized bulge
from a poping nail, he said that was normal too.

Yes, that sounds normal.


After moving everything was good for a few weeks. Sometime in the
beginning of April (less than a month) I noticed that the door to the
upstairs bedroom no longer latched close unless you pulled up on the
door, a few weeks later even pulling up on the door didn't help, it
closes fine but doesn't latch and I notice the gap along the top of the
door is wider on one side than the other.

That is house settling also.


Towards the end of April I started noticing cracks in the drywall
appearing. Most of the cracks started in the upstairs. The master
bedroom has two hairline cracks (both going directly up to the
ceiling), one above the door that won't latch and another on the
opposite wall right above the window. The upstairs bathroom has a crack
in the corner wall. The upstairs office has a crack above the window
going directly up to the ceiling and the door in this room has a
diagonal crack going from the corner of the door frame.

This is starting to sound more than normal.

Downstairs there are three places where I have a crack going from a
door/window frame directly up to the ceiling and finally there is a
crack in the downstairs bathroom between the wall and ceiling.

How much drywall cracking is normal? I am not sure if I should be
worried about this or not. Since I have only been living here for a few
months I thought that I might wait till the fall and see what happens,


A certain amount of house settling will occur. Yours seems to be on the
high side of normal, or even beyond. Do keep an eye on it and consider
having a pro look at it. Now is the time to put any extra supports that may
be needed. At the very least, take some accurate measurements on things
like the basement floor to ceiling height and check it every month for a
while to see if there are changes. If so, put a support under beams. You
may want to take a long rod or tube and cut it to a certain length that just
fits between the beam and concrete floor. If, after a time, it no longer
fits, you know you have some sinking

From the time a house is brand new until the interior needs a new coat
of paint most of the cracking and settleing should be about done.
The problem is that most of the framing lumber is pretty wet when the
walls are built and it takes a bit before things dry twist warp and
shrink,
As for the doors sticking take a square and make sure the corners of
the door frame are square before trimming any wood- it can be a
seasonal thing.
wrote:
I recently bought a house (March 2006 to be exact). The house is about
4 years old cape with walk out basement (built 2001-2002). We had a
home inspector check out the house in February, he noticed a crack in
the drywall in one of the upstairs bedrooms that he said was caused by
the house settling. The inspector also made note that the drywall in
the staircase from 1st to 2nd floor had a little quarter sized bulge
from a poping nail, he said that was normal too.

The people moved out of the house at the end of March and set the
temperature down to 55-60 and then we moved in a week later and put the
temperature back on normal.

After moving everything was good for a few weeks. Sometime in the
beginning of April (less than a month) I noticed that the door to the
upstairs bedroom no longer latched close unless you pulled up on the
door, a few weeks later even pulling up on the door didn't help, it
closes fine but doesn't latch and I notice the gap along the top of the
door is wider on one side than the other.

Towards the end of April I started noticing cracks in the drywall
appearing. Most of the cracks started in the upstairs. The master
bedroom has two hairline cracks (both going directly up to the
ceiling), one above the door that won't latch and another on the
opposite wall right above the window. The upstairs bathroom has a crack
in the corner wall. The upstairs office has a crack above the window
going directly up to the ceiling and the door in this room has a
diagonal crack going from the corner of the door frame.

Downstairs there are three places where I have a crack going from a
door/window frame directly up to the ceiling and finally there is a
crack in the downstairs bathroom between the wall and ceiling.

How much drywall cracking is normal? I am not sure if I should be
worried about this or not. Since I have only been living here for a few
months I thought that I might wait till the fall and see what happens,
I read online from one person that seasonal changes can cause cracks to
appear and then disappear. I am not sure if thats a good approach or
not. I also did make a call to a contractor but after talking with him
I guess I got scared that he didn't seem knowledgable enough, so I want
to find out as much as I can beforehand so I can be more intelligent
about this.

Now for a little bit more info that I am not sure matters. The washer
is on the 1st floor and the people who moved out had a top-loader, I
brought in a front loader. I notice that when I am up in my office
upstairs and the washer spins, I can feel a slight vibration. The
washer itself doesn't seem to too vibrate much but the way the house is
built you can feel the slight vibration. I am not sure if this could be
causing the cracking in the drywall?

My wife is always cold too, so I don't use the A/C too much, probably
much less than the old owners. So could the humidity change in the
house be causing this?

On 3 Aug 2006 11:15:10 -0700, wrote:

I recently bought a house (March 2006 to be exact). The house is about
4 years old cape with walk out basement (built 2001-2002). We had a
home inspector check out the house in February, he noticed a crack in
the drywall in one of the upstairs bedrooms that he said was caused by
the house settling. The inspector also made note that the drywall in
the staircase from 1st to 2nd floor had a little quarter sized bulge
from a poping nail, he said that was normal too.

Sounds normal.

The people moved out of the house at the end of March and set the
temperature down to 55-60 and then we moved in a week later and put the
temperature back on normal.

Should not really make a difference.

After moving everything was good for a few weeks. Sometime in the
beginning of April (less than a month) I noticed that the door to the
upstairs bedroom no longer latched close unless you pulled up on the
door, a few weeks later even pulling up on the door didn't help, it
closes fine but doesn't latch and I notice the gap along the top of the
door is wider on one side than the other.

Probably seasonal, wouldn't worry if it goes back to normal in the
winter. If not, then maybe a problem.

Towards the end of April I started noticing cracks in the drywall
appearing. Most of the cracks started in the upstairs. The master
bedroom has two hairline cracks (both going directly up to the
ceiling), one above the door that won't latch and another on the
opposite wall right above the window. The upstairs bathroom has a crack
in the corner wall. The upstairs office has a crack above the window
going directly up to the ceiling and the door in this room has a
diagonal crack going from the corner of the door frame.

Mostly sound normal. Are you sure these are all brand new? Generally
doo/window cracks to the ceiling are normal, if not excessive.

Downstairs there are three places where I have a crack going from a
door/window frame directly up to the ceiling and finally there is a
crack in the downstairs bathroom between the wall and ceiling.

Same as above.

How much drywall cracking is normal? I am not sure if I should be
worried about this or not. Since I have only been living here for a few
months I thought that I might wait till the fall and see what happens,
I read online from one person that seasonal changes can cause cracks to
appear and then disappear. I am not sure if thats a good approach or
not. I also did make a call to a contractor but after talking with him
I guess I got scared that he didn't seem knowledgable enough, so I want
to find out as much as I can beforehand so I can be more intelligent
about this.

Talk to more than one contractor and listen carefully to what they
say. I don't mean Do what they say, just listen, you may pick up a few
pointers.

Now for a little bit more info that I am not sure matters. The washer
is on the 1st floor and the people who moved out had a top-loader, I
brought in a front loader. I notice that when I am up in my office
upstairs and the washer spins, I can feel a slight vibration. The
washer itself doesn't seem to too vibrate much but the way the house is
built you can feel the slight vibration. I am not sure if this could be
causing the cracking in the drywall?

If it is just a little vibration it is normal. Hell, when my garage
opener opens or closes you'd think we were being invaded in my upper
floor!

My wife is always cold too, so I don't use the A/C too much, probably
much less than the old owners. So could the humidity change in the
house be causing this?

Not enough to cause these problems.

I think if it continues (meaning more and more new cracks) you should
have it checked by a professional for sure. Maybe a structural
engineer.

Good luck.

I'd be most concerned about the door now having a problem in closing
and having a visible difference in gap on side vs the other. That
together with what seems to be a lot of cracking suggests that there
may be some real underlying problem.

I'd find another good home inspector and get an opinion. You want to
find out what;s going on before any new home warranties expire.

On 4 Aug 2006 06:51:18 -0700, wrote:

I'd be most concerned about the door now having a problem in closing
and having a visible difference in gap on side vs the other. That
together with what seems to be a lot of cracking suggests that there
may be some real underlying problem.

I'd find another good home inspector and get an opinion. You want to
find out what;s going on before any new home warranties expire.

Oh I agree if a warranty is involved.

I would want to know if the cracks that are now apearing were hidden so
you would not know of an issue. You would have to have layers of drywall
compound and paint. Look at doors and windows anf see if they are out of
square and write down what you find. Even if things were repaired it
could be a seasonal shifting, I know of an area where an undergroung
river shifts houses on a whole street and everybody has accepted it over
the 90 yrs. But it could be worse. You need to find out what is going on
to know what to do. The building inspector is a place to start and their
advise is free.

m Ransley wrote:
I would want to know if the cracks that are now apearing were hidden so
you would not know of an issue. You would have to have layers of drywall
compound and paint. Look at doors and windows anf see if they are out of
square and write down what you find. Even if things were repaired it
could be a seasonal shifting, I know of an area where an undergroung
river shifts houses on a whole street and everybody has accepted it over
the 90 yrs. But it could be worse. You need to find out what is going on
to know what to do. The building inspector is a place to start and their
advise is free.


Where are you where the building inspector gets involved with 4 year
old homes and mostly drywall issues? Here in NJ the building
inspector would tell you to get lost.

wrote on 03 Aug 2006:

The master bedroom has two hairline cracks (both going directly
up to the ceiling), one above the door that won't latch and
another on the opposite wall right above the window.

The upstairs
office has a crack above the window going directly up to the
ceiling

Downstairs there are three places where I have a crack going
from a door/window frame directly up to the ceiling

Notice a pattern here? Cracks going straight up to the ceiling
from a corner of a window or a door suggest that the drywall
hangers ended a sheet along the side of the door or window. That's
improper technique. You always "break" a sheet of drywall at the
middle of the top of a window or a door, so it looks like an upside
down L. Corners of windows and doors are points of high stress,
and if you try to break a sheet like it sounds as if your hangers
did, it will always crack.

Short of tearing down the old drywall and hanging new sheets, there
isn't a good way to fix that. You can tape and fill the cracks
from time to time, but they will likely open up again soon.

and finally
there is a crack in the downstairs bathroom between the wall and
ceiling.

Cracks at wall corners and wall-ceiling joints are often the result
of mesh drywall tape used with standard joint compound. Find the
easiest cracked corner to get to and cut out the joint compound and
tape. Re-tape with paper tape and apply the 3 coats of joint
compound. If that holds, do the other similar cracks the same way.

I read online from one person that seasonal
changes can cause cracks to appear and then disappear.

Well, no. Once the drywall cracks, it's not ever going to
mysteriously heal itself. As the walls move, the cracks may open
and close somewhat, but they'll never disappear.

washer is on the 1st floor and the people who moved out had a
top-loader, I brought in a front loader. I notice that when I am
up in my office upstairs and the washer spins, I can feel a
slight vibration. The washer itself doesn't seem to too vibrate
much but the way the house is built you can feel the slight
vibration.

Many front loaders (especially older ones) are appropriate only for
use on a concrete floor because of the vibration -- much worse than
in a top loader. You say your vibration is "slight," and not
knowing what that means, I can't say whether that's part of your
drywall problem or not.

--
Doug Boulter

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