External wall crack

No41edwardianhouse

woody7777 said:

What would cause an old house to heave?

No idea. Do you think it is heave? 

Section62

No41edwardianhouse said:

aoleks said:

thermal expansion, nothing to worry about!

That’s what I’m thinking. Thank you. We have been a bit worried. 

There's no reason to think "thermal expansion" would cause this kind of cracking on a 200+ year old property.

Beware of getting advice on the internet.  Some of it isn't very good.

TBH if there is no obvious cause you probably need to get a structural engineer's opinion.  To an extent it is more concerning to have cracking that can't easily be explained - the obvious stuff is generally easier to fix.

aoleks

Section62 said:

No41edwardianhouse said:

aoleks said:

thermal expansion, nothing to worry about!

That’s what I’m thinking. Thank you. We have been a bit worried. 

There's no reason to think "thermal expansion" would cause this kind of cracking on a 200+ year old property.

Beware of getting advice on the internet.  Some of it isn't very good.

TBH if there is no obvious cause you probably need to get a structural engineer's opinion.  To an extent it is more concerning to have cracking that can't easily be explained - the obvious stuff is generally easier to fix.

ahm... yes there is. repointing with the "wrong" type of mortar or too wet/dry mortar.

structural cracks look very different.

stuart45

No41edwardianhouse said:

woody7777 said:

What would cause an old house to heave?

No idea. Do you think it is heave? 

When the ground swells it can force the foundations to lift in places.
Often on shrinkable clay soils caused by nearby tree removal, high water table change, leaking drain etc. Can also be frost heave in other soil types.
Is the house in London? Bricks look like London stocks.
,

No41edwardianhouse

stuart45 said:

No41edwardianhouse said:

woody7777 said:

What would cause an old house to heave?

No idea. Do you think it is heave? 

When the ground swells it can force the foundations to lift in places.
Often on shrinkable clay soils caused by nearby tree removal, high water table change, leaking drain etc. Can also be frost heave in other soil types.
Is the house in London? Bricks look like London stocks.
,

North Surrey. 

“Referring to the British Geological Survey, the house is built on Kempton Park Gravel (sand and gravel). This is a free draining subsoil not renown for any particularly serious subsidence issues” - shows what it was built on.

KievLover

No41edwardianhouse said:

House we are buying - terraced very old 18th century property. Next door is end of terrace. When viewing we noticed a slightly bigger than hairline crack on the end of terrace house but just to the right of the boundary of the house we are buying. It goes from mid way up the way to the top. No cracks on the inside. It follows the mortar and one of the bricks straight through. Should we be worried? The crack doesn’t fall on the property we are buying. 

Here's a link to the scale I mentioned previously:

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Cracking_and_building_movement

No41edwardianhouse

KievLover said:

No41edwardianhouse said:

House we are buying - terraced very old 18th century property. Next door is end of terrace. When viewing we noticed a slightly bigger than hairline crack on the end of terrace house but just to the right of the boundary of the house we are buying. It goes from mid way up the way to the top. No cracks on the inside. It follows the mortar and one of the bricks straight through. Should we be worried? The crack doesn’t fall on the property we are buying. 

Here's a link to the scale I mentioned previously:

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Cracking_and_building_movement

Just been back to look again with my 10p and £1 coin. The crack is slightly thinner than a 10p and looks to remain the same width all the way up the house. Way thinner than a £1. It would fall into category 2 on the scale you mentioned.   It follows the mortar line and goes round most of the bricks although straight through some of the bricks. Vertical and not diagonal or horizontal in anyway. 

The more I think about it, the more I think it’s thermal cracking because of the creeper all the way along the front of the house - meaning the walls don’t always dry out fully. 

Anymore opinions on this would also be grateful received. 

KievLover

No41edwardianhouse said:

KievLover said:

No41edwardianhouse said:

House we are buying - terraced very old 18th century property. Next door is end of terrace. When viewing we noticed a slightly bigger than hairline crack on the end of terrace house but just to the right of the boundary of the house we are buying. It goes from mid way up the way to the top. No cracks on the inside. It follows the mortar and one of the bricks straight through. Should we be worried? The crack doesn’t fall on the property we are buying. 

Here's a link to the scale I mentioned previously:

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Cracking_and_building_movement

Just been back to look again with my 10p and £1 coin. The crack is slightly thinner than a 10p and looks to remain the same width all the way up the house. Way thinner than a £1. It would fall into category 2 on the scale you mentioned.   It follows the mortar line and goes round most of the bricks although straight through some of the bricks. Vertical and not diagonal or horizontal in anyway. 

The more I think about it, the more I think it’s thermal cracking because of the creeper all the way along the front of the house - meaning the walls don’t always dry out fully. 

Anymore opinions on this would also be grateful received. 

I agree. The creeper might be non-penetrating but it'll be holding moisture against the wall. Buy the place and get it down pronto.

Section62

KievLover said:

No41edwardianhouse said:

KievLover said:

No41edwardianhouse said:

House we are buying - terraced very old 18th century property. Next door is end of terrace. When viewing we noticed a slightly bigger than hairline crack on the end of terrace house but just to the right of the boundary of the house we are buying. It goes from mid way up the way to the top. No cracks on the inside. It follows the mortar and one of the bricks straight through. Should we be worried? The crack doesn’t fall on the property we are buying. 

Here's a link to the scale I mentioned previously:

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Cracking_and_building_movement

Just been back to look again with my 10p and £1 coin. The crack is slightly thinner than a 10p and looks to remain the same width all the way up the house. Way thinner than a £1. It would fall into category 2 on the scale you mentioned.   It follows the mortar line and goes round most of the bricks although straight through some of the bricks. Vertical and not diagonal or horizontal in anyway. 

The more I think about it, the more I think it’s thermal cracking because of the creeper all the way along the front of the house - meaning the walls don’t always dry out fully. 

Anymore opinions on this would also be grateful received. 

I agree. The creeper might be non-penetrating but it'll be holding moisture against the wall. Buy the place and get it down pronto.

The neighbour will probably be upset if the OP cuts their creeper down.

It ought to be noted that the creeper will also have the effect of shading the wall from the extremes of temperature of heat (from direct sunshine) and cold (by adding a small insulating effect) - this needs to be taken into account before diagnosing the problem... along with the fact some of the cracks are straight through bricks.

It needs someone professional to take a look at the wall close-up and figure out what is going on.

[Deleted User]

No41edwardianhouse said:

Can you spot it - that creeper is none penetrating. 

Beware, people often put wall climbing plants up to hide defects. Happened to my parents, house was covered in ivy and the survey just said "can't see the wall". Turns out it was in need of some serious re-pointing and the brickwork was in bad shape.