Hi all
I'm been looking at the plasterwork of our 'master bedroom' with a view
to redecoration in the near future. I am a bit concerned about a long crack in the plaster and given my naivety about matters structural am seeking advice as to whether I should be!

The crack is narrow but long; I am a little concerned about it for a few
reasons:

- it runs from around the lintel area above the window (seems to be from
where an old hole was drilled)
- it runs across two walls, at a 'cross' angle which I think I once read
was a warning sign of possible problems underneath
- I can half-convince myself that on the 'upper' side of the crack, and
in the corner of the room, the wall is a touch cooler/damper than
elsewhere.

I have looked at the outside of the house but can't see any corresponding
cracks. It's difficult to see near the window, as we have a 'hipped'
roof (probably not the technically correct term, I think).

I guess I am looking for advice as to whether this is something not to worry
about (ie. just fix the crack), whether I should get someone in to take a
look at it, or ... some other action.

There are some photos he

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...rom_inside.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...e_unmarked.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...de_marked1.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...de_marked2.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg

On a couple of the pictures I have 'drawn' on the crack, as it is otherwise
difficult to see. I've indicated the 'cooler/damper' area on the image
'corner_from_inside_marked2.jpg', for comparison.

Any advice/thoughts welcome. We are on the South Coast, a 50s(?) ex-council
house, built on a hill over chalk.

Thanks
Jon N

On 19/06/2014 21:23, jkn wrote:
Hi all
I'm been looking at the plasterwork of our 'master bedroom' with a view
to redecoration in the near future. I am a bit concerned about a long crack in the plaster and given my naivety about matters structural am seeking advice as to whether I should be!

The crack is narrow but long; I am a little concerned about it for a few
reasons:

Tongue in cheek If it starts glowing, call The Doctor. He'll bring Amy
Pond and they'll sort it all out.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

jkn wrote:
Hi all
I'm been looking at the plasterwork of our 'master bedroom' with a view
to redecoration in the near future. I am a bit concerned about a long crack in the plaster and given my naivety about matters structural am seeking advice as to whether I should be!

The crack is narrow but long.

Looks like there is some slight movement but nothing too significant.
Has someone inserted a lintel at a lower level for an extension? How
long has the crack been there? Brickwork is very tolerant so it doesn't
look serious to me. It might benefit from a small plaster removal and
replacement if you wish to redecorate as tiny cracks are often hard to
fill cleanly.

On 19/06/14 21:23, jkn wrote:

I have looked at the outside of the house but can't see any corresponding
cracks. It's difficult to see near the window, as we have a 'hipped'
roof (probably not the technically correct term, I think).

You may not if you have cavity walls.

It looks very superficial and whilst it might be following a minor crack
in the inner brick leaf, it might just be a plaster crack with is very
common.

Only a bit of it is horizontal (ie may be following a mortar join). The
ends are at very funny angles and it is extremely rare for bricks to
crack like that.

Personally I'd rake it out 2-3mm wide, PVA the edges, shove some
polyfilla in and leave it.

If it gets bigger suddenly (and recracks your repair), that might be
worth some investigation - but it probably won't.

On 19/06/2014 21:23, jkn wrote:
Hi all
I'm been looking at the plasterwork of our 'master bedroom' with a view
to redecoration in the near future. I am a bit concerned about a long crack in the plaster and given my naivety about matters structural am seeking advice as to whether I should be!

The crack is narrow but long; I am a little concerned about it for a few
reasons:

- it runs from around the lintel area above the window (seems to be from
where an old hole was drilled)
- it runs across two walls, at a 'cross' angle which I think I once read
was a warning sign of possible problems underneath
- I can half-convince myself that on the 'upper' side of the crack, and
in the corner of the room, the wall is a touch cooler/damper than
elsewhere.

I have looked at the outside of the house but can't see any corresponding
cracks. It's difficult to see near the window, as we have a 'hipped'
roof (probably not the technically correct term, I think).

I guess I am looking for advice as to whether this is something not to worry
about (ie. just fix the crack), whether I should get someone in to take a
look at it, or ... some other action.

There are some photos he

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...rom_inside.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...e_unmarked.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...de_marked1.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...de_marked2.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg

On a couple of the pictures I have 'drawn' on the crack, as it is otherwise
difficult to see. I've indicated the 'cooler/damper' area on the image
'corner_from_inside_marked2.jpg', for comparison.

Any advice/thoughts welcome. We are on the South Coast, a 50s(?) ex-council
house, built on a hill over chalk.

Thanks
Jon N


Some very slight settlement? Looks to be only affecting the inner leaf,
so I'd guess something happened around that part of the window opening.
I'm not too sure how the crack's carried around the corner, though.

I'd just fill and monitor.

--
Cheers, Rob

"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
On 19/06/14 21:23, jkn wrote:

I have looked at the outside of the house but can't see any corresponding
cracks. It's difficult to see near the window, as we have a 'hipped'
roof (probably not the technically correct term, I think).

You may not if you have cavity walls.

It looks very superficial and whilst it might be following a minor crack
in the inner brick leaf, it might just be a plaster crack with is very
common.

Only a bit of it is horizontal (ie may be following a mortar join). The
ends are at very funny angles and it is extremely rare for bricks to crack
like that.

Personally I'd rake it out 2-3mm wide, PVA the edges, shove some polyfilla
in and leave it.

If it gets bigger suddenly (and recracks your repair), that might be worth
some investigation - but it probably won't.


+1.
Another slight possibility is cavity wall tie failure especially given the
age of the house and it's exposure to salty air.
Uusally cracks also appear elsewhere located where the ties are.

Sometimes salty air can affect (ie cause corrosion) the steel lintel over
windows in houses of the period.

But repair and wait and see is the best thing for the moment.
Get a ladder and check out/repair the outside pointing too.
The outside crack (if any) might be in a different place to the inner one
they are separate parallel walls.

On 19/06/2014 21:23, jkn wrote:

Any advice/thoughts welcome. We are on the South Coast, a 50s(?) ex-council
house, built on a hill over chalk.

Thanks
Jon N

As others have said, fill it & see.

Ex council, built in the 50's - it will have been much better built than
any modern house.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Thursday, 19 June 2014 21:23:38 UTC+1, jkn wrote:
Hi all

I'm been looking at the plasterwork of our 'master bedroom' with a view

to redecoration in the near future. I am a bit concerned about a long crack in the plaster and given my naivety about matters structural am seeking advice as to whether I should be!



The crack is narrow but long; I am a little concerned about it for a few

reasons:



- it runs from around the lintel area above the window (seems to be from

where an old hole was drilled)

- it runs across two walls, at a 'cross' angle which I think I once read

was a warning sign of possible problems underneath

- I can half-convince myself that on the 'upper' side of the crack, and

in the corner of the room, the wall is a touch cooler/damper than

elsewhere.



I have looked at the outside of the house but can't see any corresponding

cracks. It's difficult to see near the window, as we have a 'hipped'

roof (probably not the technically correct term, I think).



I guess I am looking for advice as to whether this is something not to worry

about (ie. just fix the crack), whether I should get someone in to take a

look at it, or ... some other action.



There are some photos he



http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...rom_inside.jpg

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...e_unmarked.jpg

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...de_marked1.jpg

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...de_marked2.jpg

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg

It looks like the plaster has cracked along the joins in the plasterboard. How high off the floor are they?

It wouldn't go around the wall like that if there was a failure in the structure and it would be wider, dirty from water ingress and visible on the outside.

Scratch the crack out with a grout remover or an old chisel and fill it with gap filler (caulk) then forget all about it.

Hi all
thanks for the helpful replies. I am heartened by the general consensus that it's unlikely to indicate a larger problem, & will go ahead with scratching it out and making good.

Tongue in cheek If it starts glowing, call The Doctor. He'll bring Amy
Pond and they'll sort it all out.

heh, nice one John --- and the idea has its attractions...

It looks like the plaster has cracked along the joins in the plasterboard. How high off the floor are they?

I don't think there *is* any plasterboard, it's plastered onto the walls. what makes you think there is? THe height of the window/lintel is ... about what you'd expect, 5'10" or so?

Cheers
jon N

/Weatherlawyer
On Thursday, 19 June 2014 21:23:38 UTC+1, jkn wrote:
- show quoted text -
It looks like the plaster has cracked along the joins in the plasterboard. How high off the floor are they?

It wouldn't go around the wall like that if there was a failure in the structure and it would be wider, dirty from water ingress and visible on the outside.

Scratch the crack out with a grout remover or an old chisel and fill it with gap filler (caulk) then forget all about it. /q

Caulk not suited here as it shrinks leading to an obvious repair. Poyfilla/equiv or one of the lightweight "Non shrink" ready mixed fillers is far better IMHO.

Jim K

On 20/06/2014 19:34, JimK wrote:
/Weatherlawyer
On Thursday, 19 June 2014 21:23:38 UTC+1, jkn wrote:
- show quoted text -
It looks like the plaster has cracked along the joins in the plasterboard. How high off the floor are they?

It wouldn't go around the wall like that if there was a failure in the structure and it would be wider, dirty from water ingress and visible on the outside.

Scratch the crack out with a grout remover or an old chisel and fill it with gap filler (caulk) then forget all about it. /q

Caulk not suited here as it shrinks leading to an obvious repair. Poyfilla/equiv or one of the lightweight "Non shrink" ready mixed fillers is far better IMHO.

Jim K


The house was stated to be a 1950's house.... Were they using
plasterboard back then? I would have thought it would be a two coat
plastering system?

"jkn" wrote in message
...
Hi all
I'm been looking at the plasterwork of our 'master bedroom' with a view
to redecoration in the near future. I am a bit concerned about a long
crack in the plaster and given my naivety about matters structural am
seeking advice as to whether I should be!

The crack is narrow but long; I am a little concerned about it for a few
reasons:

- it runs from around the lintel area above the window (seems to be
from
where an old hole was drilled)
- it runs across two walls, at a 'cross' angle which I think I once
read
was a warning sign of possible problems underneath
- I can half-convince myself that on the 'upper' side of the crack, and
in the corner of the room, the wall is a touch cooler/damper than
elsewhere.

I have looked at the outside of the house but can't see any corresponding
cracks. It's difficult to see near the window, as we have a 'hipped'
roof (probably not the technically correct term, I think).

I guess I am looking for advice as to whether this is something not to
worry
about (ie. just fix the crack), whether I should get someone in to take a
look at it, or ... some other action.

There are some photos he

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...rom_inside.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...e_unmarked.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...de_marked1.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...de_marked2.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg
http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg

On a couple of the pictures I have 'drawn' on the crack, as it is
otherwise
difficult to see. I've indicated the 'cooler/damper' area on the image
'corner_from_inside_marked2.jpg', for comparison.

Any advice/thoughts welcome. We are on the South Coast, a 50s(?)
ex-council
house, built on a hill over chalk.


I emailed the links to my Dad (a retired chartered survyor who worked in the
subsidence department for Britsh coal). As there are no visible cracks
outside it could possibly be the roof that has moved. How long did it take
the craxk to appear and is it now stable?
--
Adam

Hi Adam


I emailed the links to my Dad (a retired chartered survyor who worked in the

subsidence department for Britsh coal). As there are no visible cracks

outside it could possibly be the roof that has moved. How long did it take

the craxk to appear and is it now stable?


Thanks, I appreciate your efforts.

From what I have heard, the crack appeared sometime in the last 5 to 10
years. I have not seen evidence of it moving, but I have only paid attention
to it in the last year or so.

Not quite sure how the roof moving would account for this; I'd be interested
in learning more (even if it doesn't apply in this case).

I s'pose I should 'fess and say that I have boarded up the loft (OSB on top of
Celotex) in the last 5 to 10 years...

Cheers
J^n

On Saturday, 21 June 2014 08:10:34 UTC+1, Stephen wrote:
On 20/06/2014 19:34, JimK wrote:

/Weatherlawyer

On Thursday, 19 June 2014 21:23:38 UTC+1, jkn wrote:

- show quoted text -

It looks like the plaster has cracked along the joins in the plasterboard. How high off the floor are they?



It wouldn't go around the wall like that if there was a failure in the structure and it would be wider, dirty from water ingress and visible on the outside.



Scratch the crack out with a grout remover or an old chisel and fill it with gap filler (caulk) then forget all about it. /q



Caulk not suited here as it shrinks leading to an obvious repair. Poyfilla/equiv or one of the lightweight "Non shrink" ready mixed fillers is far better IMHO.



Jim K





The house was stated to be a 1950's house.... Were they using

plasterboard back then? I would have thought it would be a two coat

plastering system?

The house has got plastic double glazing, were they installing that in the 1950's?

The ceiling has gone in the same way but followed the joists. The angle of attack in the wall seems to follow a level. There is no other explanation to that as far as I know. But why would you take my word as gospel?

There are some idiots on here that seem to think that one can surmise any stupid idea they come up with from a post like mine. Some of them might be stark raving lunatics. How would I know?
Let's hope you are not one of them.

On 21/06/14 22:29, jkn wrote:

I s'pose I should 'fess and say that I have boarded up the loft (OSB on top of
Celotex) in the last 5 to 10 years...

That won't be it.

A bit of OSB plus stuff is tiny compared to the weight of the roof
structure.

The roof could be responsible as the rafters are usually fixed to a wall plate on top of the inner leaf. General settlement or strong wind could have induced some slight movement. It does not look bad and if it's not getting any wider then probably not much to worry about. However, if you are concerned use some of these

http://www.screwfix.com/p/sabrefix-r...ack-of-5/85398

Chase out the plaster so the strap can later be concealed, hooking the bent bit over the wall plate in the loft, a few screws to secure it to the wall plate and the wall and that should prevent any more movement. I am not sure how many you will need but on some new builds I have seen them put them every couple of metres.

Richard

On 22/06/14 11:53, Tricky Dicky wrote:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/sabrefix-r...ack-of-5/85398
....

I am not sure how many you will need but on some new builds
I have seen them put them every couple of metres.


I suspect because newbuilds use those godawful celcon blocks and:

1) Cement doesn't have any adhesion to them compared to brick, so the
top course is as wobbly as ****e (seen that many times on new walls I've
seen being built);

2) Too light so very unstable.

On 21/06/2014 22:29, jkn wrote:


Not quite sure how the roof moving would account for this; I'd be interested
in learning more (even if it doesn't apply in this case).


It's quite common for the wallplates[1] supporting the roof timbers -
and hence some or all[2] of the weight of the roof to be mounted on the
inner skin of the cavity wall. Any movement of the roof would then
affect the inner skin more than the outer one.

[1] typically lengths of 4 x 2 timber, laid on top of the
brick/blockwork and held in place by metal straps

[2] If roof trusses are used, virtually the entire roof weight is
supported by the wall plates. If the rafters are supported by horizontal
purlins - set into the gable ends - the purlins take most of the weight,
and the wallplates relatively little
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

On 22/06/2014 00:45, Weatherlawyer wrote:


The house has got plastic double glazing, were they installing that in the 1950's?


No. It will have had wooden window frames - which provided far more
support to the surrounding brickwork than the replacement plastic ones do.

It's quite common to see some settlement when wooden frames are removed
- even when there's a decent lintel in place. You *have* got lintels
over the windows, haven't you?!
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

In article , Roger Mills
wrote:
On 22/06/2014 00:45, Weatherlawyer wrote:


The house has got plastic double glazing, were they installing that in
the 1950's?


No. It will have had wooden window frames - which provided far more
support to the surrounding brickwork than the replacement plastic ones do.

Originally, it might have had metal frames.


It's quite common to see some settlement when wooden frames are removed
- even when there's a decent lintel in place. You *have* got lintels
over the windows, haven't you?!

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

"jkn" wrote in message
...
Hi Adam


I emailed the links to my Dad (a retired chartered survyor who worked in
the

subsidence department for Britsh coal). As there are no visible cracks

outside it could possibly be the roof that has moved. How long did it
take

the craxk to appear and is it now stable?


Thanks, I appreciate your efforts.

From what I have heard, the crack appeared sometime in the last 5 to 10
years. I have not seen evidence of it moving, but I have only paid
attention
to it in the last year or so.

Not quite sure how the roof moving would account for this; I'd be
interested
in learning more (even if it doesn't apply in this case).

I s'pose I should 'fess and say that I have boarded up the loft (OSB on
top of
Celotex) in the last 5 to 10 years...



Well I had to call in at my parent's this morning so I asked him. And it
seems other posters replies confirmed what he said this morning. The roof is
only fastened to the inner skin. The roof can move for various reasons
including a very heavy load on the mid span of the rafters, wind or
settlement of the house on the other side to the crack.

My Dad's advice was "fill the crack and do not worry if it has got no bigger
in the last couple of years and that the lintel has no bearing about the
crack as it continues into the next wall".

He used to go out to the buildings that British Coal/NCB had underminded to
see how many mm the crack they had caused by undermining the building opened
up by each week-


--
Adam

On 22/06/2014 09:12, Tim Watts wrote:
On 21/06/14 22:29, jkn wrote:

I s'pose I should 'fess and say that I have boarded up the loft (OSB
on top of
Celotex) in the last 5 to 10 years...

That won't be it.

A bit of OSB plus stuff is tiny compared to the weight of the roof
structure.



You might need to be careful with trusses as they are designed to
support the load on their top edge and not on the rafter part. Too much
load there could pull the joints apart. Having said that they should
take a fair bit of load just nowhere what they can take at the top.

My tame structural engineer advised me to spread the 250kg load from my
cylinder across four trusses to be on the safe side.

On 22/06/2014 13:23, Tim Watts wrote:
On 22/06/14 11:53, Tricky Dicky wrote:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/sabrefix-r...ack-of-5/85398

...

I am not sure how many you will need but on some new builds
I have seen them put them every couple of metres.


I suspect because newbuilds use those godawful celcon blocks and:

1) Cement doesn't have any adhesion to them compared to brick, so the
top course is as wobbly as ****e (seen that many times on new walls I've
seen being built);

2) Too light so very unstable.



You need straps like that at the gable end to stop the wind blowing the
gable end down. You shouldn't need them elsewhere.

Well I had to call in at my parent's this morning so I asked him. And it
seems other posters replies confirmed what he said this morning. The roof is
only fastened to the inner skin. The roof can move for various reasons
including a very heavy load on the mid span of the rafters, wind or
settlement of the house on the other side to the crack.

My Dad's advice was "fill the crack and do not worry if it has got no bigger
in the last couple of years and that the lintel has no bearing about the
crack as it continues into the next wall".


He used to go out to the buildings that British Coal/NCB had underminded to
see how many mm the crack they had caused by undermining the building opened
up by each week-



My aunts house in Earlstowne, nr Newton-le-Willows, was thus affected in
the end they, the coal board, decided it'd be easier to knock them down
and build some new houses elsewhere which they did.

I do remember seeing the cracks, more cervices!, and if I was living
there at that time I think I'd just have made a run for it;!..

It did always seem odd that such deep pits and deep mining would affect
the surface like that.

--
Tony Sayer

Hi Roger

On Sunday, 22 June 2014 15:36:05 UTC+1, Roger Mills wrote:
On 22/06/2014 00:45, Weatherlawyer wrote:

The house has got plastic double glazing, were they installing that in the 1950's?

No. It will have had wooden window frames - which provided far more
support to the surrounding brickwork than the replacement plastic ones do.

I suspect, from other houses in the neighbourhood, that the original frames
were metal,as Charles suggests below.

It's quite common to see some settlement when wooden frames are removed
- even when there's a decent lintel in place. You *have* got lintels
over the windows, haven't you?!

Hmm - there is a lintel, but as you can see from one of the photos:

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg

It is actually only the same width as the window, & doesn't extend beyond!
(The area painted white above the window). This is not something I've ever
liked...

FWIW we have a later-built 'back porch' which didn't have a lintel at all;
when I replaced the window in that I had to get a angle steel lintel installed.

jon N

On Sunday, 22 June 2014 00:45:29 UTC+1, Weatherlawyer wrote:
On Saturday, 21 June 2014 08:10:34 UTC+1, Stephen wrote:

On 20/06/2014 19:34, JimK wrote:



/Weatherlawyer



On Thursday, 19 June 2014 21:23:38 UTC+1, jkn wrote:



- show quoted text -



It looks like the plaster has cracked along the joins in the plasterboard. How high off the floor are they?







It wouldn't go around the wall like that if there was a failure in the structure and it would be wider, dirty from water ingress and visible on the outside.







Scratch the crack out with a grout remover or an old chisel and fill it with gap filler (caulk) then forget all about it. /q







Caulk not suited here as it shrinks leading to an obvious repair. Poyfilla/equiv or one of the lightweight "Non shrink" ready mixed fillers is far better IMHO.







Jim K











The house was stated to be a 1950's house.... Were they using



plasterboard back then? I would have thought it would be a two coat



plastering system?



The house has got plastic double glazing, were they installing that in the 1950's?


As per my later post, I guess that the original frames were metal, since
replaced bu uPVC


The ceiling has gone in the same way but followed the joists. The angle of attack in the wall seems to follow a level. There is no other explanation to that as far as I know. But why would you take my word as gospel?


I'm not sure where you get that 'the ceiling has gone the same way'?
There are no substantive cracks in the ceiling, or at the corner between the
ceiling and the wall.

What you may have seen in the photos as ceiling cracks are actually lines
in the textured artex which have shown up bright in a few places on the images.
Sorry if that is misleading...

J^n

jkn wrote:
On Sunday, 22 June 2014 00:45:29 UTC+1, Weatherlawyer wrote:
On Saturday, 21 June 2014 08:10:34 UTC+1, Stephen wrote:

On 20/06/2014 19:34, JimK wrote:



/Weatherlawyer



On Thursday, 19 June 2014 21:23:38 UTC+1, jkn wrote:



- show quoted text -



It looks like the plaster has cracked along the joins in the plasterboard. How high off the floor are they?







It wouldn't go around the wall like that if there was a failure in the structure and it would be wider, dirty from water ingress and visible on the outside.







Scratch the crack out with a grout remover or an old chisel and fill it with gap filler (caulk) then forget all about it. /q







Caulk not suited here as it shrinks leading to an obvious repair. Poyfilla/equiv or one of the lightweight "Non shrink" ready mixed fillers is far better IMHO.







Jim K











The house was stated to be a 1950's house.... Were they using



plasterboard back then? I would have thought it would be a two coat



plastering system?



The house has got plastic double glazing, were they installing that in the 1950's?


As per my later post, I guess that the original frames were metal, since
replaced bu uPVC


The ceiling has gone in the same way but followed the joists. The angle of attack in the wall seems to follow a level. There is no other explanation to that as far as I know. But why would you take my word as gospel?


I'm not sure where you get that 'the ceiling has gone the same way'?
There are no substantive cracks in the ceiling, or at the corner between the
ceiling and the wall.

What you may have seen in the photos as ceiling cracks are actually lines
in the textured artex which have shown up bright in a few places on the images.
Sorry if that is misleading...

J^n

I wonder if someone jacked the roof during window fitting? There is
some evidence of exterior brickwork movement, but it's not IMO serious.

On 22/06/2014 21:49, jkn wrote:

On Sunday, 22 June 2014 15:36:05 UTC+1, Roger Mills wrote:


It's quite common to see some settlement when wooden frames are removed
- even when there's a decent lintel in place. You *have* got lintels
over the windows, haven't you?!

Hmm - there is a lintel, but as you can see from one of the photos:

http://www.glory-be.co.uk/download/c...om_outside.jpg

It is actually only the same width as the window,& doesn't extend beyond!
(The area painted white above the window). This is not something I've ever
liked...


The lintel probably *is* longer than the window width - it ain't a lot
of use if it isn't supported on the brickwork either side!

If it's a one-piece lintel for both skins, the part supporting the inner
skin - and ultimately, the roof - will be both taller and longer than
the outer skin support. Even the outer skin support is likely to be
longer than the window width, but will be cut back at the ends. The
bricks either side won't be full depth, but will have been thinned down
so as to line up with the other bricks whilst hiding the ends of the lintel.

[Google 'Concrete boot lintel']
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

On 22/06/2014 16:31, ARW wrote:
"jkn" wrote in message
...
Hi Adam


I emailed the links to my Dad (a retired chartered survyor who worked
in the

subsidence department for Britsh coal). As there are no visible cracks

outside it could possibly be the roof that has moved. How long did it
take

the craxk to appear and is it now stable?


Thanks, I appreciate your efforts.

From what I have heard, the crack appeared sometime in the last 5
to 10
years. I have not seen evidence of it moving, but I have only paid
attention
to it in the last year or so.

Not quite sure how the roof moving would account for this; I'd be
interested
in learning more (even if it doesn't apply in this case).

I s'pose I should 'fess and say that I have boarded up the loft (OSB
on top of
Celotex) in the last 5 to 10 years...



Well I had to call in at my parent's this morning so I asked him. And it
seems other posters replies confirmed what he said this morning. The
roof is only fastened to the inner skin. The roof can move for various
reasons including a very heavy load on the mid span of the rafters, wind
or settlement of the house on the other side to the crack.

My Dad's advice was "fill the crack and do not worry if it has got no
bigger in the last couple of years and that the lintel has no bearing
about the crack as it continues into the next wall".

He used to go out to the buildings that British Coal/NCB had underminded
to see how many mm the crack they had caused by undermining the building
opened up by each week-



Quite a lost skill, knowing the mines. I used to work for Stanilands in
Doncaster - if it wasn't on the map, they knew about it.

--
Cheers, Rob

Hi Roger

On Sunday, 22 June 2014 23:07:56 UTC+1, Roger Mills wrote:


The lintel probably *is* longer than the window width - it ain't a lot
[useful stuff about 'concrete boot lintel' snipped]


Thanks a lot for the info, and the term 'boot lintel', that was very informative.

Cheers
Jon N