Cracking up

mikehn

Any knowledgeable persons out there that can put my mind at rest about a new crack that has appeared in my end wall. See Pics. The house was built 18 years ago, approx 18 months later I noticed a crack from path level to corner of a ground floor window. This has not developed anymore over the following 16 years. This evening I saw another crack running from the top of this window up to the first floor window. This is a new arrival 18 years after the house was built. Any opinions, should I be worried?? or is this something that can happen at any time.
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/mikehn1/House/lowercrack.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/mikehn1/House/upper.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/mikehn1/House/upper-1.jpg

Sir Arthur Daley

Subsidence, settlement, are there cracks on the inside walls in relation to the exterior ones?

mikehn

No corresponding cracks on the inside (yet!!!), but after 18 years I thought that everything would be well settled by now

Sir Arthur Daley

A crack could come on a house at any age, external factors can influence them too.

sawdoubters

looks like water damage are your gutters clear,also divert water away from house

mikehn

Thanks for comments. gutters ok, just cant figure it.

rickmoister

Have you done any work around the out side such as drainage or tree felling these can change the water table level which may cause the soil under your foundation to shrink or swell .
Is the plaster around the crack hollow sounding it may just be a crack in the plaster causes by a freeze thaw action.

mikehn

No work has been done around the house for 17 years, house is slightly elevated above road with a tarmac drive, all drains are free and we didnt get any severe frost prior to appearance of the crack. I will pull out a ladder tomorrow and check around the crack to see if its just the plaster, good suggestion thanks.