Why do the walls of a panel house crack, and what to do about it?

When do cracks occur?

Cracks that are less than one millimeter thick are not a cause for concern. In the P-3 series, for example, the presence of cracks on the top floors and technical floors is caused by cracking of the outer plaster or putty layer intended for painting. It looks terrible. But precipitation does not penetrate into the panel. It is advisable to carry out cosmetic sealing. cracks to stop further cracking. The work is carried out by industrial climbers. The material for sealing crack seams is sealant for interpanel seams. This service can be ordered by calling the company and is called sealing crack seams). On average, 30 linear meters are required for a 2-room apartment. The cost of 1 linear meter is 300 rubles. It turns out an average of 105,500 with the price of slaves and materials. Causes of cracks in walls

Insufficient bearing capacity of the soil foundation of the structure and changes in the soil under the structure, as well as the behavior of the building material under the influence of heat and moisture (shrinkage and swelling) as well as external influences, such as wind, rain and even busy traffic, this can also intensify the occurrence of cracks in individual elements of the building.

Due to the fault of the developer

Fluctuation of pressure on the foundation as a result of uneven settlement of the foundation. This is due to insufficient geological surveys or external factors.

The displacement of the soil under an already constructed structure causes shifting loads, which entails inclined cracks.
Point compression of the soil also plays a significant role in identifying the causes of cracks, especially in new buildings.
Nearby pits, traffic, dynamic influences are factors that influence the displacement, compression and settlement of the soil. There are cases when soil freezing, combined with insufficient flexural rigidity of the structure, contributes to the appearance of cracks.

Is a crack dangerous?

The cracks mentioned are not dangerous. Even in houses that are more than a hundred years old, new cracks can form. The reason for this may be increased traffic, and changes in the structure of the soil due to increased humidity or, say, construction work on a neighboring site.

In new buildings, during the first five years of the building’s operation, this is a completely normal phenomenon, as shrinkage occurs.

But rebuilding or major reconstruction of a building is already dangerous.

The degree of danger is revealed as follows: climbers make marks from plaster or simply strips of special paper.

And within three to four weeks - CHECK whether a crack will appear on the plaster mark

If a crack appears, continue to monitor it for another eight to twelve weeks. And if it does continue to grow, be sure to contact a construction expert.

A specialist will suggest options for assistance based on the findings of whether the crack is developing further and how it affects the statics of the structure.

We eliminate the cause, get rid of the crack

Closed cracks are located inside the walls and are not visible without special equipment. And open ones can be seen with the naked eye.

Due to the movement of soil layers, the entire building tilts in one direction or the other, but in general the building is held tightly and monolithically, thanks to a massive and strong base. And this is precisely what is frightening: if cracks appear on the wall, it means that the foundation is not fulfilling its function.

Most often, in panel houses, it is the internal walls that are load-bearing, and therefore it is not recommended to touch them at all - move openings, demolish them, etc. But the residents do this, and as a result the house warps from the uneven load. The problem especially often arises if redevelopment is done on the lower floors.

By projecting these changes onto the geometric model of the house and foundation, you can determine with high accuracy how settlement occurs over time, whether it depends on the wetness of the ground during rain, where there are places of high and low density.

What to do with a crack

Cracks that do not grow or develop can be hidden using cosmetic methods.

Materials used are artificial resins or filling cements, sometimes deep penetration putties or dense primers.

Some problems that are associated with the reliability of certain buildings sometimes cause panic attacks in people. Such situations happen quite often, and one of them was voiced by the owner of an apartment in an old 9-story panel building:

We live on the 5th floor and both of our 2 rooms share an external wall. It is she who causes us great fear. We regularly hear clicks and crackling sounds, and this is especially noticeable at night. This situation has been going on for several months now, and now the appearance of strange sounds has become more frequent (it’s summer). There are no visible cracks in the wall. We are wondering whether it is worth continuing to live in our apartment or whether it is time to change our location before it is too late.

How to repair cracks in walls yourself?

If there is a problem - a crack in the wall of a panel house, and there is no idea what to do, first you should decide on its type.

If the size of the crack is insignificant, the easiest way is to eliminate it with foam, followed by plaster and putty. But you should not fill large cracks with construction foam or other components, as this will accelerate crushing.

Through cracks are the most dangerous and their rather sensitive expansion will lead to the fall of the floor slabs. This solution can only be a temporary solution to survive the winter, during which it is irrational to do major repairs.

In addition, professionals in many cases recommend using gypsum mixtures; they are easy to find these days. The repair technology is quite simple. How to cover cracks in an apartment wall? The crack “opens up”, is cleared of dust and dirt, the surface is washed with water and dries.

After reading the instructions, mix it with water, stir until smooth without any clots and seal the crack.

Apply the solution using a spatula. Do not forget that gypsum tends to expand, so you need to make sure that there is a sufficient amount of solution in the cracks.

If you do not take this point into account, there will be more gypsum than necessary, the crack will worsen, and a new displacement of the wall will arise.

Once the removal is complete, you need to let the plaster dry completely, this is about 5-6 hours. Then use sandpaper to clean off any remaining plaster. And admire the updated smooth wall.

You can also make a good old 3 to 1 mortar, parts sand to parts cement, adding water. This solution will be most suitable for uniformity to the panel wall.

It is applied in the same way as gypsum mortar, using a spatula. When dry, it has less impact on the wall, but here you need to understand a little about the properties of sand, it should not be greasy.

It is also recommended to apply a mesh on the outer surfaces of the crack. It will stop the appearance of small cracks when the solution dries. It will create a so-called skeleton for structural strength.

To stop the development of large cracks, you can install a channel (anchor) or metal plates. To do this, the wall is cleared of plaster, approximately 50 cm in each direction from the edge of the crack, and plates are installed.

Causes of cod

It's quite simple. The problem lies in the interpanel seams, which are the weak point of such houses. As for the sounds themselves, they become stronger with a sharp temperature change, which can be observed in the summer. The walls get very hot in the sun during the day and cool down quickly at night. In such a situation, we can say with 90% confidence that the interpanel seam has exhausted its service life and has collapsed.

The cause of cracking in the walls can also be a slight movement of the panels that are connected to each other by welding. To find out exactly what is causing the unpleasant sounds, it is better to immediately call industrial climbers to inspect the wall. If the problem lies in the seams, it is necessary to seal them and restore them to their original condition. You will have to pay a lot for this, but now you can sleep peacefully.

What to do and how to contact the management organization to carry out repairs?

You need to submit an application to your management organization and demand repairs and elimination of cracks in the walls and foundation of your apartment building at a specific address.

The application is drawn up in 2 copies, it is best if it is collective and has the signatures of other residents. In the application, indicate to whom and from whom the application is being submitted, and also indicate your telephone number. The application is written in free form; there is no unified form.

In the text of the application, indicate that cracks were discovered in the walls and foundation of the house at a specific address. According to clause 4.1.1 of the Resolution of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2003 No. 170, these cracks must be eliminated, on the basis of Part 1 of Article 36 of Federal Law No. 384, the safety of the building must be achieved through regular inspections, as well as repairs in order to eliminate various damages .

Based on Part 1 of Article 161 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the management of an apartment building must create favorable conditions, as well as safe living conditions for citizens, and the management organization must fulfill its responsibilities for maintaining the common property in the apartment building properly.

Also, on the basis of Part 2 of Article 162 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the management organization, on the basis of an agreement and on the instructions of the owners of residential premises and for a fee, undertakes to perform work and provide services for managing apartment buildings, providing services for the repair and maintenance of common property.

Based on Part 1 of Article 165 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the fee for the maintenance and repair of residential premises is set in an amount that fully ensures the maintenance of the common property in proper condition, which indicates that the management organization has all the means and capabilities to fulfill its responsibilities for the maintenance and repair of common property in the apartment building.

Based on paragraph 42 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 13, 2006 No. 491, management organizations are responsible to the owners of residential premises for violation of their obligations for the proper maintenance of common property in apartment buildings in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation and can be held liable for financial, administrative and criminal liability.

At the end of the application, demand that all violations be eliminated as soon as possible. Put your signature, transcript, if there is a collection of signatures, then attach it to your application, but only a copy.

We go to your management organization and submit your application, then the receiving person must put a mark of acceptance on your copy, assign an incoming number to your application, put the date of acceptance and give you your copy with all the marks, do not lose it, this is your proof of the fact of applying to management organization with a specific requirement.

If your application is ignored, then file a complaint against your management organization with the Housing Inspectorate. The complaint is also submitted in two copies and be sure to attach to your complaint a copy of your application that you submitted to the management organization.

In the complaint, describe all the violations, and also report that your requests about the problems that arose were ignored. Demand that action be taken and your management organization held accountable.

The response to your complaint and the response to it must be sent to you within 30 days from the date of filing. The Housing Inspectorate is a supervisory authority and an inspection will be initiated, during which all the circumstances of the violation will be established.

The Housing Inspectorate will issue an order to the management company to eliminate all violations and give a deadline for compliance. The management company can also be brought to administrative liability under Article 7.22 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

If you have any questions, you can consult our on-duty lawyer, he will give answers to the most difficult questions and help solve your problem quickly and effectively, because qualified legal assistance in our time is not a luxury, but a daily necessity.

Rostovtseva Irina . Mainly deals with resolving issues in the field of consumer protection, compensation for damage, working with banks, disputes over real estate and housing and communal services.

Total legal experience is more than 8 years. In 2004 she graduated from Perm State National Research University - Perm State National Research University.

She studied at the Faculty of Law.

Expert opinion

Makarov Igor Tarasovich

Legal consultant with 8 years of experience. Specialization: criminal law. Extensive experience in document examination.

Cracks in the walls and ceiling can appear both in a new apartment and in an old one. In this case, who should put the property in order - the owner of the residential premises himself or the management company responsible for the maintenance of the house?

What if the problem is not in the panel seams?

If during the audit no problems were found with the joints of the slabs, the cause of the sounds may be due to thermal expansion of reinforced concrete structures and their further sudden cooling. However, this is certainly not so easy to determine. It is likely that certain construction standards were violated during the construction of the house. In this case, it is worth protecting the wall from possible temperature changes, and the ideal way for this would be external thermal insulation. With her, the apartment will be warm in winter and cool in summer.

Drawing up an application to the Criminal Code

There is no standardized sample document, but there is a list of information that must be present in the application:

• the personal details (full name) of the general director of the management company are indicated;
• personal details of the applicant, methods of contacting him (mobile phone, email);
• if there are spelling and information errors, the application may be rejected;
• the essence of the statement, the current problem. Preference is given to complaints that indicate a violation of the law.

The information is indicated in the application:

• information about the management company, its location and information about the general director of the management company;
• information of the applicant, name, contact details, place of residence, name of the submitted document (complaint, application);
• the situation that led to the writing and submission of the application;
• a request to correct the situation, what actions the applicant expects from the company;
• date of writing, signature;
• It's better to add substantial evidence. Attach photographs of wall defects;
• Please indicate the required dates, personal details, contact information and signature.

How to avoid paying for major repairs, read here.

Submitting an application is carried out in 2 ways:

• make two copies of the document. Take one to the management organization. The secretary must accept the application and establish a record with the date of consideration of the document. In case of refusal, it is better to save time and move on to the second method;
• find your monthly pay stub. It must indicate the postal address of the organization. You can send an application to her.

ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample claim in the Criminal Code:

What do we offer

Our company can offer ]sealing of walls[/anchor] for high-rise work.
Teams of our industrial climbers work in Moscow and the Moscow region. Frequently asked questions about sealing seams: / The management company does not fulfill its obligations, where can I turn? / Practice of filing an application to the Court for sealing seams / Sample application to the Management Company for repair of interpanel seams / Secrets of correctly writing an application for interpanel seams in the Criminal Code / Who should repair a balcony in a privatized apartment? / List of basic works for routine repairs and operation of buildings and structures / Seams in a panel house are leaking, sample application / How to force the management company to seal interpanel seams? / Who should repair the interpanel seams in the house? / Seams in a panel house are leaking, sample application / Time frame for major repairs of interpanel seams

Legislation

If the root cause of the cracks is unknown, the management company or homeowners association draws up a report. To do this, you will need to write an application to the City Housing Inspectorate and wait for a commission .

ATTENTION! In 2010, the Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation ruled that the management company or housing and communal services are responsible for the condition of residential buildings.

If a conflict arises, it is advisable to file a complaint about the action or inaction of the organization. The legislation of the Russian Federation does not prohibit applying to several government agencies at the same time.

However, the complaint must be supported by an inspection report and other supporting documents that can resolve the conflict. Going to court is considered a last resort. However, a court decision that has entered into force is mandatory.

Tools and materials for work

To seal cracks at home, you will need to prepare a working tool and collect the material with which they will be closed. Everything you might need is summarized in the following table.

You can also use a construction mixer and a concrete mixer to mix the solution.

Syringe for sealing cracks
In each specific case, you will need certain tools and materials. Their use is influenced by the operating conditions of the surface being repaired and the nature of the problem itself.

How to seal large cracks

Larger gaps cannot be eliminated with ordinary “cosmetics”. You will have to resort to serious actions, for which it is recommended to invite a specialist.

• For medium-sized cracks, you can use polyurethane foam, filling the prepared gap with it to a third of the volume. After waiting for the composition to expand and dry completely, repeat the procedure if necessary. When the entire gap is filled with dried foam, carefully remove the excess with a knife and begin finishing, covering the foam with plaster (or tiles).
• In the second option, skill is required - you will need to apply a reinforcing screed. To do this, a metal strip is installed in the gap, and the remaining voids are filled with cement mortar. When it dries, all that remains is to carefully level the corner by finishing the surfaces.

We recommend reading: How to clean polyurethane foam

To ensure that neither the polyurethane foam nor the cement solution falls out of the gap during work, it is recommended to use one-sided formwork. To increase the strength of sealing cracks with foam, you can place pieces of foam plastic, wooden slats or bars in the gap.