When you drive in the streets of Johannesburg, a cracked wall is nothing out of the ordinary. We have become so use to the sight that we hardly notice our living room wall is cracked or the boundary wall outside is cracked. But turning our heads away means you may be turning a blind eye to the warning signs of possibly a serious and ongoing structural damage.Some wall cracks are actually nothing to worry about, where other types can indicate a sinking or damaged and/or faulty (this is South Africa after all) foundation.
Unfortunately if you do not fix the problematic wall cracks, the damage to the foundations can quickly devalue the property and cause major safety concerns. How do you know if the wall crack you have is one of the problematic wall cracks?
Here is ways to establish weaknesses in the foundation:
The crack is very large and wider than 5 mm
When the wall is higher on the one side than the other
Windows and doors will no longer close in their frame
You can look for these signs typically start around windows, doors or corners of buildings
What causes cracks in walls?
The main reason why large cracks will appear is due to moisture. It means that the ground under the structure is either to wet or to dry and this will cause the foundation to become smaller and loose it strength. This will lead to part of the building sinking if not corrected in time.
If you have any concerns regarding your wall that has a crack.
Rather give us a call for an free consultation.