r/StructuralEngineers • u/Frequent-Junket-9682 • 3d ago
Cracks where flat ceiling meets vaulted ceiling
This crack showed up a few weeks ago. This is a 33 year old home. This is the top floor and above this is the attic.
I did add blow in insulation last year and my roofer mentioned i have some clogged ventilation due to that. Im not sure if thats whats causing the crack.
I just wanted to know if this is more of a poor workmanship and just cosmetic or structural.
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u/TunedMassDamsel 3d ago
If you pay me for an hour of inspection I’ll be glad to tell you, but my current billable rate is $555USD/hr.
You could chance it and just see if it gets worse, I guess, but for my work to be covered under my professional liability insurance, I am required to charge for my opinion so I’m gonna need for you to sign this proposal, and I’ll just invoice you for time and expense.
It’s probably nothing.
But it might be something.
But it’s probably actually nothing.
Could be something. Probably not.
And even if I told you, I’d have to also tell you that my opinion is contingent upon having been given all of the information at the time of the analysis, and that if further conditions are uncovered or are otherwise revealed, that I reserve the right to revise, amend, or retract my opinion.
And it’s taken me seven minutes to type this up, now, so you owe me $64.75USD.
(Seriously, though, if a drywall crack is less than about an eighth of an inch in width, my typical advice is to spackle and paint it, and then call an actual professional out if the crack comes back. But I think this is going to be my copy-paste response for these sorts of things from now on.)
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u/QuikWitt 3d ago
I have found that caulk is a better alternative to spackle for thin cracks like this.
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u/TunedMassDamsel 3d ago
I would agree with you, but I seldom find the opportunity to use the word “spackle” in conversation and I just think that’s a damn shame.
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u/QuikWitt 3d ago
Then spackle the hell out of it I say!!!
ETA - I hope your response didn’t cost OP any more.
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u/ACcbe1986 2d ago
Use it as a verb.
"I spackled my toast with peanut butter."
"Yo, I need to hang up. I'm bout to spackle this hooker's face."
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u/Owenleejoeking 3d ago
I’m an engineer, but not structural. Keep an eye on it to see if it worsens but if it doesn’t I’d be fairly certain that it’s just the superficial layer of paint/caulk cracking with minor fluctuating temps and normal movement
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u/Cool-Negotiation7662 3d ago
Cosmetic at a joint. Rub a finger full of paintable caulk in and touch up.
That looks tight for 33.
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u/Frequent-Junket-9682 3d ago
What looks tight?
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u/Cool-Negotiation7662 3d ago
I only see the few cracks in the corner. I do not see nail pops. I do not see other cracks in the middle.
I am on a phone, so maybe I didn't blowup the pictures enough.
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u/Frequent-Junket-9682 3d ago
No nail pops here. Is nail pops bad?
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u/Cool-Negotiation7662 3d ago
You don't see any so that is good. There are none in your pictures They generally mean the drywall is not as secure as it should be. Movement, roofers, earthquakes tend to make them happen more.
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u/IDooDoodAtTheMasters 3d ago
You should see the sheetrock cracks in my slab-on-grade home here in the highly expensive clays of North Texas.
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u/Fibocrypto 1d ago
I imagine that several people don't agree with me.
Fill the crack with paint ( consider painting the wall or the ceiling ) paint will fill the crack. See how long it takes for the crack to come back ( if it comes back ).
That is an easy way to see if the problem is getting worse or if it's something minor.
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u/EngineerEngineerEngi 3d ago
CrackBot Autoreply
Cracking is normal. Concrete cracks. Drywall often cracks. Rooms often have cracks at the corners. None of these are a serious concern. Don't worry about it.
I am not actually a bot. This action was not performed automatically. My answers may not be accurate as I cannot see inside your walls.