Every homeowner has dealt with drywall cracks at least once in their lifetime. And while fixing them is pretty straightforward, it’s also important to figure out what caused them for prevention purposes.

According to structural engineers, seasonal changes are the main culprit behind drywall cracks. But how is that possible, and more importantly, can homeowners do something about it?

Humidity and Temperature Changes

For some, it may come as a surprise that humidity and temperature changes can cause cracks in your home’s drywall. That’s due to contraction, expansion, truss uplift, and wood shrinkage. Let’s check each of them out.

Contraction and Expansion

Like many materials, drywall expands when it gets warm and contracts when it gets colder. Over time, this movement may cause cracking and is one of the main reasons that walls require joints over 30 feet long. Therefore, drywall is much more likely to crack in areas with extreme seasonal changes.

Truss Uplift

Truss uplift refers to trusses that bow upward and cause drywall cracks, usually where the wall connects to the ceiling. That process happens during the winter due to temperature and humidity changes between the hot summer months and the harsh winter season.

Wood Shrinkage

If your home has a high humidity level, the moisture can accumulate in the wood framing. When the moisture starts to evaporate, it may cause drywall cracks, especially in homes whose walls are not reinforced.

Soil Movement

Most homeowners already know that when their home’s foundation moves, everything that sits on top of it also moves. Sadly, foundations do not move as one piece of concrete — instead, they flex, bend, bow, and sometimes even crack due to the soil’s pressure.

Additionally, the soil itself will contract, expand, shift, and move in all sorts of ways, which will create non-uniform pressure. These changes in forces will exert stress on the framing of the house. The stress will cause parts of the framing to flex, move, bow, shift, and eventually crack or even fail. The drywall will also crack, bow, and separate, especially at the seams when that happens.

The Bottom Line

Overall, seasonal changes can affect your home in a lot of ways. From truss uplift and wood shrinkage to foundation movement, your drywall can crack at any moment. But you shouldn’t worry if that happens, as you can always rely on a professional contractor like Mike’s Decorating & Painting. Our team can fix any type of drywall problem, including cracks, holes, uneven walls, nail pops, and fire damage.

So, next time you’re dealing with drywall cracks, give us a call and relax while our staff handles it.