Expert: Daniel G. Blum - 12/17/2007

Question
We noticed a long crack in the ceiling running down the length of the master bedroom and continuing on into the bedroom next to it. We also noticed that the crack extended down the wall and stopped at the top of a window. We are first time homeowners and just moved in less than six months ago. The home inspector we hired did not seem to think this was a problem, and attributed it to the house settling. We are still a little concerned as it seemed like the crack may be getting bigger. What should we do?

Answer
Dear Jit,

There are many common occurrences that could explain this cracking. In new construction, cracking is most commonly caused by wood shrinkage. The idea is that wood shrinks up to 3 percent in length due to normal drying AFTER the house is constructed, causing the drywall to crack. Most of the shrinkage occurs in winter. In summer, sometimes the cracks close up again.

Foundation settlement can cause this type of phenomenon. The soil compresses under the house, and the tighter it gets, the better it can resist future settlement, so it is self-limiting. If there is bad soil under the house it can go on for two years or more, but at that point the builder usually has to come back and repair it.

Normally all you would have to do is to call the builder's field superintendent to take a look at it and figure out if it is normal or abnormal. Generally, if the crack is less than a sixteenth of an inch across, it will fall in the normal range. Anything over 1/4 inch definitely need immediate attention. In between these two numbers, I would say you need to have an expert come in and gather further information and make some more specific observations than a person could express in a web site inquiry.

If you are still uncertain, you can call your inspector back for a partial inspection, just to re-check this one item, or hire a different inspector if you prefer. The other thing is that you should check the warranty documents to see if this kind of problem has to be taken care of under the warranty.

I hope this helps, and if you feel you need more information, I suggest you call an in-person expert for a more specific answer.

-Daniel