Crack in Ceiling below bath

chelt_Robin

I have noticed that a hairline crack has appeared in my lounge ceiling which is about 50cm long. There is no discoloration just a crack when touched the paint flakes a bit. The first floor room above if the bathroom and the crack is just to the side of the bath which you get in and out on at the taps end.

There is a waste pipe which runs from the bath under a tiled floor from the bath to the down pipe in this area but not other piping. I have removed the bath panel and I can see any sign of a leak, but obviously the waste pipe below the titles could be leaking. floor.

What should I do the crack is definitly getting worse, but there is no discoloration to indicate water is leaking. Should I get one of those moisture detector things etc? Could the crack have been caused by getting in and out the bath?

For information house was built in 1989,

chelt_Robin

Just an update on the crack, I have now spotted a crack on the upper floor too, a fine hairline crack running the width of the bathroom then more worringinly this crack seems to continue in a straight line with a couple of gaps along the width of the house with a couple of places where the hair line crack stops then starts again around 30 cm later. This line follows where the placster board/ dry wall sheets are attached to the ceiling/ atic trusses (not sure what they are called, but the wood frame which holds the ceiling up)

Again no signs of damp, but what is causing these!!!!!!!.

sevenhills

chelt_Robin wrote: »

Just an update on the crack, I have now spotted a crack on the upper floor too, a fine hairline crack running the width of the bathroom then more worringinly this crack seems to continue in a straight line with a couple of gaps along the width of the house with a couple of places where the hair line crack stops then starts again around 30 cm later. This line follows where the placster board/ dry wall sheets are attached to the ceiling/ atic trusses (not sure what they are called, but the wood frame which holds the ceiling up)

People do come on here asking about cracks, more often much bigger than a 'hairline' crack; I wouldnt worry.
Do you have reason to believe your building is not sound?

chelt_Robin

No no reason to believe the building is not sound, just worried as to what has caused them to appear all of a sudden!

FreeBear

Dead straight hairline cracks are a common problem when plasterboard is used. Up until recently, the stuff was attached using nails, and when the timbers move, the nails have a tendency to pull out slightly. This then allows the plasterboard to move a little, and cracks form. Movement in the timbers could be caused by someone walking around upstairs or simple thermal expansion of the building.

Not a lot you can do about this unfortunately. Rake the cracks out and put a bit of filler in and paint over. Or use lining paper (which would be a better solution), and paint over that.

Current building practice is to use screws to fix plasterboard - Much less chance for the screws to pull out. But you do have to watch the spacing and don't drive the screws in too deep.

chelt_Robin

Thanks for the advice, I am guessing it is thermal as thinking about it the cracks have appeared since the central heating went on. I like it on very hot, but its off when I am out at work so it goes from cold to hot a lot at the moment. I am just a little concerned as the cracks are all along the one joist across multiple areas from room to landing which seems strange to me, that these are in a straight line.

Still no signs of water etc, so hopefully just the central heating. I can only guess the previous oweners either had the heating on all the time (thus no ups and downs in temp) or not at all, as they certainly did not touch up the paint before selling!