Houses are like people -- they sag in the middle when they get older!
What?
Check your floors, walls and ceilings
When?
Once a year -- the winter is a good time.
Why?
Your house moves. Not only does it settle over the long haul, but it moves daily and seasonally. The issue is whether the movement is typical, or represents a structural problem.
How?
Assessing the significance of movement within your house requires a skilled set of eyes and a firm understanding of structural engineering. If you have any inkling that any of the components of your house have moved appreciably, call in a professional. Let's look at the components:
Floors -- the day your house was completed, the floors were sagging. It is not uncommon for floors in new houses to deflect as much as half an inch at the midspan.
With time, bookcases, refrigerators and waterbeds will cause the floors to sag even more. This is normally not cause for alarm. Be concerned however if the floors slope toward a supporting wall.
Walls -- The weight of a wall will cause the floor that the wall sits on to deflect. Therefore, walls that do not rest on other walls immediately below are more likely to show evidence of movement. This movement will show up as doorframes that are out of square and cracks originating at the top corners of doorframes and running diagonally up to the ceiling.
Cracks in interior partition walls are far more common and less troublesome than cracks in the interior finishes of exterior walls.
Ceilings -- Interpreting cracks in ceilings is difficult. They may be the results of deflection of the floor above or movement of a wall where it intersects with the ceiling.
Tips
- Shining a flashlight parallel to a wall or ceiling surface highlights patches, cracks and other flaws.
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