Has anyone else in Melbourne noticed that in the recent hot weather they are getting a lot of cracks in the paint work at joins etc like around window frames and door frames etc?
I've also noticed cracks in the concrete outside too
Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Nov 16, 2009 1:47 pm Has anyone else in Melbourne noticed that in the recent hot weather they are getting a lot of cracks in the paint work at joins etc like around window frames and door frames etc? I've also noticed cracks in the concrete outside too 'A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.' Louis Pasteur Vegie garden: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27637&start=0 My Backyard Adventure Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 2Nov 16, 2009 2:04 pm lisanne Has anyone else in Melbourne noticed that in the recent hot weather they are getting a lot of cracks in the paint work at joins etc like around window frames and door frames etc? I've also noticed cracks in the concrete outside too Apparently with less rain and all the water saving that is occurring with water tanks not enough water is going into the ground and this is causing the cracks. Moral of the story is, save some of the water for watering your house as much as watering your plants! Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 4Nov 16, 2009 5:08 pm No you can't blame the builder, cracks are just a fact of life. The builder will usually repair them at 3mth and 12 mth maintenance checks. To water down the house, just go around the perimeter with a light hose, but only if water restrictions permit. Blog: http://bluemistkids.blogspot.com "Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, and professionals built the Titanic." Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 5Nov 16, 2009 5:46 pm What Hels said - it's not the builders fault that the ground is moving! I'm just wondering if others are noticing it in the past few weeks as well 'A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.' Louis Pasteur Vegie garden: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27637&start=0 My Backyard Adventure Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 6Nov 16, 2009 5:58 pm joeygbh lisanne Has anyone else in Melbourne noticed that in the recent hot weather they are getting a lot of cracks in the paint work at joins etc like around window frames and door frames etc? I've also noticed cracks in the concrete outside too Apparently with less rain and all the water saving that is occurring with water tanks not enough water is going into the ground and this is causing the cracks. Moral of the story is, save some of the water for watering your house as much as watering your plants! Rain water off the roof normally runs through PVC pipes underground and into the main stormwater drains, so I'm not sure that adding a tank makes any difference to the moisture level in the soil. Anyway, we had no tank, nor did any of our neighbours at our old place, and cracks between walls and cornices were a regular part of life. We even had a big crack in the brickwork which appeared when the drought hit its peak. All our neighbours had the same issues. It's just the clay soil in these parts - it rains, the soil expands; it gets hot and dry, the soil contracts. Both will cause some slab movement, which causes the frame to shift slightly, but good engineering will avoid any structural problems. You could water around your house if you have rainwater or grey water to use. Mains water is a no-no though. Honestly, I wouldn't bother. Minor cracks at plaster joins are a fact of life. You'll have to learn some skills with a tube of No More Gaps and a bit of touch-up paint. After 24 years of home ownership in the northern suburbs, I'm an expert. At least PD will take care of it for the first 12 months. Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 7Nov 16, 2009 5:59 pm Oh - and a spell of hot weather like we've just had might cause extra movement. Anyway, new houses settle and cracks happen, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 8Nov 16, 2009 6:20 pm kek Oh - and a spell of hot weather like we've just had might cause extra movement. Anyway, new houses settle and cracks happen, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. Thanks Kek, I'm not too worried about it, just surprised how many I'm noticing at the moment and writing down. having never built a house or owned before I've never really paid attention to these things before and was wondering if others have been noticing it too 'A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.' Louis Pasteur Vegie garden: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27637&start=0 My Backyard Adventure Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 9Nov 16, 2009 7:49 pm kek You could water around your house if you have rainwater or grey water to use. Sorry...watering around the perimeter as a means of crack control is a no-no...you could end up causing more problems. If you over water the perimeter the clay will expand along the edges of the slab but not in the middle (due to moisture differentials) this will cause the slab to dish and possibly cause more serious problems. Alternate drying and wetting exacerbates the problem. It's not a coincidence it's called a "raft" footing - essentially the building is designed to move with the swelling and contraction of the foundation - like a big solid raft. It use to be mandatory to provide a copy of Foundation Maintenance and Footing Performance: A Homeowner's Guide by the CSIRO...quoting from the guide... It is essential to remember that the soil that effects footings extends well beyond the actual building line. Watering of garden plants, shribs ad trees causes some of the most serious problems. For this reason, particularly where problems exist or are likely to occur, it is recommended that an apron of paving be installed around as much of the building perimeter as necessary.... Whilst this is not always practicable what they are trying to get you to do is to keep the moisture content of the soil beneath the slab - which essentially doesn't change from when it was constructed - the same as the immediate edges. So sensible garden placement and avoiding plants which require an abundance of water are the go - mulching and drought tolerant plants - no vegie gardens and no big trees that will suck the water out. And yes rainwater tanks have absolutely no bearing on cracking. I'll get off by soap box now... Making notes and taking photos of cracks is a very good idea when maintenance time comes around. mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 10Nov 16, 2009 8:34 pm to_do_list It's not a coincidence it's called a "raft" footing Wait, who said it was a 'raft' (by which you mean slab) footing? I didn't see any mention of 'slab' in the OP post only doors and windows? When lisanne asked the original question I immediately thought of the cracks in my old house which is on stumps, and the house/garden show a few years ago (when the drought first started) that was talking about how since people were preserving water for their gardens they didn't realise that the ground under the house was drying up and causing cracks. Hence 'their' advice to water the ground around the house (which in my case would have been stumps) and nothing to do with 'rafts'. Unless stump foundations are now rafts too? Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 11Nov 16, 2009 8:56 pm I thought all new homes will generally start cracking as they settle onto the new foundations. Not extreme, just little hair line cracks. Pretty sure it's a normal thing, nothing to stress about. Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 12Nov 16, 2009 9:09 pm Our place is yet to be completed - but my parents place has cracked in just about every room over last summer and with the latest heat wave that hit Melbourne. I wonder if the same issue is happening over in SA or is it different over there due to different soil? Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 13Nov 16, 2009 9:55 pm joeygbh Wait, who said it was a 'raft' (by which you mean slab) footing? I didn't see any mention of 'slab' in the OP post only doors and windows? I've been following Lisanne's build - it's a slab. And by raft I mean raft...viewtopic.php?f=31&t=9017&hilit joeygbh When lisanne asked the original question I immediately thought of the cracks in my old house which is on stumps, and the house/garden show a few years ago (when the drought first started) that was talking about how since people were preserving water for their gardens they didn't realise that the ground under the house was drying up and causing cracks. Hence 'their' advice to water the ground around the house (which in my case would have been stumps) and nothing to do with 'rafts'. Unless stump foundations are now rafts too? I don't mean to be anal...well I do... joeygbh Apparently with less rain and all the water saving that is occurring with water tanks not enough water is going into the ground and this is causing the cracks. Moral of the story is, save some of the water for watering your house as much as watering your plants! You drew a direct inference between water tanks (water harvesting) and cracks. As kek pointed out water falling on the roof wouldn't end up on the ground in any case. On to your main point which I think is that the drying of ground around a foundation (stump or slab) can be remedied with "watering". The issue is that the increase and decrease of moisture in soil and the consequential swelling and contraction of soil due to seasonal variations is gradual. A short sharp storm in the middle of summer is not going to change soil moisture quickly (at depth where it counts), and vice versa a short spell of dry weather won't change soil moisture at depth quickly. And in most cases the slab should be able to cope with this movement...the CSIRO does characterise some movement as "normal"...the point is - and I think onc artisan has made this point in another post - is to ensure it does not affect the serviceability of the house, which means tiles cracking, moisture ingress, doors and windows sticking, and major plasterboard cracks. An intensive uncontrolled watering of the soil (and some irrigation systems can produce a lot of water) may cause a sharp change in moisture - a sudden cycle of movement without enough time to relieve stresses in the slab, leading to major cracking issues. I'm not trying to be alarmist here - merely explaining how a "slab" works - again, they use to include the CSIRO document when you built a house. I'd be surprised if there is no reference to it on a typical slab construction drawing with a note saying that if the general recommendations are not followed then the builder will not be liable - it was on my drawings. Just trying to help people look after the "grey lady"... mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 14Nov 17, 2009 6:11 am Thanks for the explanation, Mike... After living in a house just down the road which was built on stumps in the 80s and experiencing the kind of movement you get, we're very happy to have a "floating" slab this time around. I expect the cracking to be reduced in comparison to the old place, but I'm interested to see by how much. Hopefully, we'll only be dealing with minor gaps between cornices or skirtings and walls this time around. Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 15Nov 17, 2009 1:01 pm We just had our 3 month inspection with Porter 2 weeks ago with the guys coming out next week. But now just in the last 2 weeks I have noticed a few big things in house movement... the biggest being the frame to the front door has developed a crack in it and the Door is now hard to open. I will ring and see if they will come to the party and fix this issue as well.... but as its not on the list I signed they probably wont...... but I will get it at the 12 month inspection (thank god PD offers this) Anyway I am happy with how the inspection went as PD said yes to fixing just about everything (just not to a couple of hairline cracks) But yes lisanne its just in the last 4 weeks that the cracks have appeared... if the maintenance inpection was at the 2 month mark the list would have being not even half the size it was. Cheers Cozmo ______________________________ Building a PD Heywood 29 http://fromevetoeternity.blogspot.com/ Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 16Nov 17, 2009 2:25 pm Cozmo We just had our 3 month inspection with Porter 2 weeks ago with the guys coming out next week. But now just in the last 2 weeks I have noticed a few big things in house movement... the biggest being the frame to the front door has developed a crack in it and the Door is now hard to open. I will ring and see if they will come to the party and fix this issue as well.... but as its not on the list I signed they probably wont...... but I will get it at the 12 month inspection (thank god PD offers this) Anyway I am happy with how the inspection went as PD said yes to fixing just about everything (just not to a couple of hairline cracks) But yes lisanne its just in the last 4 weeks that the cracks have appeared... if the maintenance inpection was at the 2 month mark the list would have being not even half the size it was. Thanks Cozmo, I new my house would settle and cracks would develop with settlement but it almost seems that everyday a new one is appearing! If the front door is sticking I would definitely get it looked at and included! 'A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.' Louis Pasteur Vegie garden: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27637&start=0 My Backyard Adventure Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 17Nov 17, 2009 2:28 pm its a good idea to look into site drainage (ag pipe) if you've got heavy clays that retain heaps of moisture.. its generally recommended in the soil report for a heavy clay site Re: Melbourne weather and house cracks 18Nov 17, 2009 6:13 pm Hi, *Love the site, not much of a poster but a keen reader * We are building with M in the northern suburbs and are pretty much at handover. With the "independent" final inspection organised by M they put up a lot of red dot stickers around the house at various points where there are hairline cracks. Most common are window / door frame joints. From what I have been reading, the cracks forming are normal with the weather in Melbourne lately. Question is, what happens of these cracks? What is the point of the inspector pointing them out? Will M fix them before handover ? Thanks all for any replies ! Building the Tusanne. Site start 10 Jul 2009 Final Walk through / PCI - 4 Dec 2009. Not yet prepared to move! viewtopic.php?f=31&t=26203 The spacing of the studs looks pretty large especially for a load bearing wall. 3 11124 It sounds like you have a crack in your garage where the wall meets the ceiling, along the shadow line on the… 0 17204 Do you have a scope of works? If have texture on wall now, the patch will show through The standard for repair of texture is to patch, re-texture corner to corner,… 5 6923 |