Cracking bricks?

Question

I have recently noticed cracks in my brick work. The house is 15yr old and we moved in last year. They might be settlement cracks that we've never noticed but i am also concerned that they could be recent. They are right through the centre of the bricks.

I am thinking about contacting my insurance company so they can check it out. We have a load of bushes and a tree at the side of the house and think it might be related to that but if i get the insurance company involved, will this be classed as a claim even if they find nothing?

Answer 1

get advice from insurance company,they have to come and look b/cos it may cost them a h**l of a lot if they dont,good luck!!!

Answer 2

If the cracks are running through the middle of the bricks, then it might be serious. Is your house on a slab or does it have a basement. Bushes wouldn't cause it, a large tree that is close by could possibly damage the foundation. I would recommend calling a contractor that specializes in foundations. If you contact your insurance company, even to ask a question about coverage, it will be recorded in their database and classified as a problem. That could have a ramification in the future. A contractor will let you know if there is a serious issue, then you can decide if contacting your insurance company is warranted.

Answer 3

the Trees and bushes are taking the water out of the soil, if the cracks run through the bricks its not settlement, its something more serious, you need to contact your insurance company, they will send out a buildings Surveyour to take a look, you could clear the area of trees and bushes and see if the cracks close up, but you will need some foundation work done ! good luck, don't panic its very common for this to happen.

Answer 4

If you are in a part of the country that typically has cold winters this could be your problem. Clay soil holds moisture and once it gets saturated it takes a long time to dry out.

Your soil gets wet in fall, then winter comes and that same clay soil freezes. When it freezes the ground expands and the soil under your slab can push up - then in the spring it thaws and sometimes it goes back down, sometimes not.

You should have a foundation that the slab was poured up against. This foundation has a ledge for the brick to rest on. This is called a brick ledge. It could be your foundation and the footing it rests on was not installed correctly or deep enough to get below the freeze line. The footing could be being pushed up when the ground freezes. This would put pressure on the brick also.

I would contact a reputable brick layer, or Masonry contractor to come out and look at it.

If you are not in a cold weather area in winter, then the brick mason can still probably tell you what is happening.

Answer 5

sounds like u have got either landslide, or it needs  

underpinning , ur home insurance should cover it no prob.

give them a very quick call , now b4 it gets worse.

my aunt had same prob with her hse.