What Causes Cracked Brickwork In Melbourne?
The following are the main causes of cracked brickwork:
- Reactive soils: These soils expand or contract with changing moisture levels throughout the year, causing uneven stress on home foundations and leading to wall cracks.
- Degraded building materials: Over time, building materials can degrade due to factors like gravity, weathering, or rotting, undermining structural integrity and leading to wall cracks.
- Experiencing extra loads: Wall cracks may appear when a home’s weight, due to extensions or renovations, exceeds its original design capacity, putting extra pressure on the structure and its foundation.
- Seasonal changes: Dramatic changes such as droughts and floods can cause significant contraction and expansion of the soil, leading to wall cracks.
- Insufficient drainage: Broken drains, leaks, or unconnected pipes can cause soil erosion underneath the home, destabilising the ground and leading to foundation instability and wall cracks.
- Nearby trees: Invasive root structures from nearby trees can remove water from the soil, altering its moisture content and causing wall cracks.