Hairline cracking after new windows

blue_cat_3

Hi all,

I live in a 30-year old semi-detached house and have been here about 18 months. Last November we had all of the windows and doors (front door & patio doors) replaced on a like-for-like basis.

In the last couple of months, we've noticed lots of hairline cracking (very small, typically under 1mm). This is pretty much in every room (small house, not as bad as it sounds!) horizontally around most of the room where the wall meets the ceiling and also around the stairs. There isn't anything on the outside of the house noticeable and none of them are big enough to be causing any real concern.

I'm trying to convince myself that this is just the house settling with the new windows and the correct thing is monitor to see if it gets any worse and then fill in when I next decorate.

However, I can't find much about this online and was looking for reassurance this is (reasonably) common!

Thanks

27col

You said it yourself, hairline cracks. As long as they stay hairline then give them a while to settle and then fill with decorators caulk if they are just at the ceiling and wall junctions.
If it were my problem I would certainly not be concerned unless they got much bigger. No doubt others will soon post with a bit of scaremongering.
It is very rare for any house to be crack free.

tony6403

The windows are simply fixed in the apertures which have lintels above and replacement does not give rise to any settling issues.
Some older houses do have brickwork resting on the windows but I think that this would not be the case in a 30 year old house. Any problems arising from that method of construction would show on the outside of the house.
Col is right.

martinsurrey

another simple cause could be the new windows flexing in place, we've had the first few good sunny days, and windows expand and contract in the sun.

nothing to worry about, just paint over.

blue_cat_3

Thanks all - thought that was the case, but nice to be reassured!

Marktheshark

Have you got lintels in above the frames, sometimes you need steel ones fitting after taking out wood frames, worth investigating.