Cracks around window and doors. Massive anxiety.

[Libby71]

Hi, this is my first time posting and just looking for help.
I’ve noticed cracks appearing around my door frames and windows. They are no wider that 1-2mm but I just can’t stop checking, looking, measuring, googling, crying and having panic attacks. I’m at the point where I just want to sell the house simply because the anxiety OCD is taking over my life. I’ve attached a couple of pictures to show you hats happening. I’m looking for advice / help. Thank you xx

I live in a very old house. I have cracks in almost every wall, but the cracks are only in the plaster - if you can't see the cracks from the outside OP then it is likely it's just your plaster cracking too. Some of mine are wiggly and long but none are very wide. You could try filler over the top and then rubbing it smooth and painting over.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply x

Cracks are normal so nothing to worry about. Your anxiety is what you need help with, it's an awful thing. Speak to your GP and feel better soon

I have an 80s house. I got a surveyor out because of diagonal cracks like yours above windows. He explained about a house this age having breeze block inner and brick outer. The two are fastened together at various points (obviously) and the points include the window upper corners. The two materials don’t shrink/expand at the same rate over time. Brick stays still but the breeze block inner very very gradually may shrink. He said nowt to worry about.

We didn’t have vertical cracks though, not that I can see.

I know it’s hard when you get into the cycle of doom. I am the same.

Hey OP.
I posted a thread recently because I returned from holiday to see some quite alarming cracks in the wall in one room. I have looked into it and it has apparently been relatively common over the summer as it's been so dry - if you're on clay soil it might have contracted slightly which means the foundations may have moved slightly, but it is unlikely to be in the same category as 'subsidence'. They are unlikely to move more (although no harm in keeping measurements).

As a pp says - have these reached the outside as well? If not I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Would you mind giving a bit more detail if that's OK? Only I'm interested as we are looking into getting a structural surveyor out to look at ours. Do you know what you paid for this sort of check/assessment? Sorry to jump on you in OP's thread!

Oh yeah I think what presents as wiggly, if you were to take the plaster off and have a look it will be more like straight lines where the breeze block has now got small gaps in or the mortar between the blocks has now got a small gap beside it.

final comment, if you do get a surveyor out, get him to do a written report and get him to put in that there is at the time of inspection no evidence of subsidence. I was supposed to be happy with verbal reassurance from my guy but then we thought, well if we go to sell, written is much better. Took three nags but got it in the end.

In places yes - especially the windows on my landing.

I've got a surveyor in today (we're selling and the buyer's survey is being done) and so I literally just asked him this! He said he's not worried at all and it wouldn't be something he'd report back on as its just plaster cracks.

We have one particularly bad crack in the bedroom, which is above where we did an extension below and we'd had someone out at the time to check that as it was so wide - even that crack wasn't an issue as it didn't go as far as the outside brick, and whilst the crack was wide it wasn't getting any wider over time. It was just the house settling above the new steel from the extension below.

Genuinely - this is nothing to worry about.

It's been really dry so cracks like this will be common in a lot of houses at the moment. I have ones in my 1930s flat that open and close according to the seasons. I've given up filling them!

Perfectly normal in some places after a very dry summer after wet winter. Just settlement and flex, around the windows and doors timber and plaster would move slightly but as they are different materials, they would react differently to conditions and expand/contract at different rates, hence a pull and a minor craze. Some vertical ones could be on plasterboard joints.

The quickest way to put your mind at rest is to hire a structural engineer or Chartered Building Surveyor to come and have a quick look and advise.

Be assured that structural/ subsidence type cracks are generally much bigger and quite alarming. These are not.

From personal experience I can reassure you that if your insurer looks at something and decides it isn’t subsidence there is no issue and it will not affect your premiums or future claims.
Obviously if it is subsidence you want them to know!

Alternatively you could ask a reputable builder to assess. Most will not charge just to look but make sure they are genuine and not trying to get work where nothing needs doing.

Hence you would be better off asking your insurer.

Thank you. I’m wanting to sell this house. I’m prepared for a lower price for the cosmetic work and garden repairs. I can’t afford to repair anything and that’s adding to my anxiety.

A surveyor once told me that if you can't get your finger in a crack, it isn't worth worrying about.

With all the dry weather, houses will be moving more than usual this year.

The usual advice is to just fill and paint over it.

Yes this. We had it a few years ago during Covid when we had a long hot summer and barely any rain (and my anxiety was also horrific over it so I can relate). I was convinced we had subsidence and all sorts as ours is 70's house so far too late for settlement cracks like with new builds. Once the cooler weather kicked in I filled and painted them and my house is still standing. Stop looking online (that made it worse for me) fill and paint them and it will be fine honestly. Maybe an up in meds will help too.

Looking online has definitely made things worse!

Thanks Everyone for your comments. I had my Dad’s friend come to look and he said there’s nothing to worry about. I was most worried about the jaggedy step shape. Online points to subsidence. Especially as there are other cracks above it too. I’ve sought help for my anxiety. It’s just so hard when you have to look at the cracks! I may just stick a picture over it until I can get it fixed.