Classification and causes of cracks in houses

Have you noticed that every house has some cracks? In fact, the appearance of cracks is inevitable. The key is where these cracks appear. The following is a detailed classification of cracks and their causes.

Temperature crack

Thermal expansion and cold contraction are the main reasons for temperature cracks. You may see horizontal cracks in the ring beam at the top of the house (flat roof), and diagonal cracks at the corner of the window and the diagonal of the inner longitudinal wall.

shrinkage crack

Shrinkage cracks are caused by dry and wet changes of materials. They are often distributed on the wall in the form of a network, especially where new and old materials are handed over.

Settlement crack

Uneven settlement of foundation will form various cracks, such as splayed and inverted splayed cracks in the wall. There are also horizontal cracks and even vertical cracks in reinforced concrete beams caused by pulverization and compression of mortar joints.

Deformation crack

Cross cracks, vertical cracks at the joint of vertical and horizontal walls, inclined cracks, etc. Caused by structural deformation of buildings.

structural cracks

Caused by external loads, such as vertical cracks in the wall column under the beam and horizontal cracks in the main reinforcement of the beam slab.

Matters needing attention

Although shrinkage, temperature and a small amount of settlement cracks are usually not dangerous, settlement, deformation and structural cracks need to be paid enough attention, and they may be potential threats to housing safety. If in doubt, it is best to ask professionals to conduct on-site appraisal and analysis.