Subsidence experts warn many businesses may be ‘painting over the cracks’ on structural property issues

Having experienced one of the hottest summers on record in 2022, followed by heavy rainfall and storms this winter, properties of all sizes are at risk of subsidence and long term structural damage from ground movement.

For businesses in particular, the effects of this can be significant operational downtime, hefty repair costs, and worst case; demolition or relocation of business premises due to unsafe structural conditions.

Stop painting over and hiding structural cracks

Mainmark, the ground strengthening specialists, have warned facilities managers, commercial tenants, and all non-domestic property owners to take note of new cracks and monitor the size of older ones to know when the damage is serious and action is needed - rather than the default of painting over or hiding unsightly cracks on business premises.

Along with this advice comes a new downloadable crack gauge tool to be able to monitor and record crack sizes and changes individually, to recognise bigger issues before they arise.

Tom Kavanagh, general manager at Mainmark says: “Last September, the Met Office reported that 2022 was so far the driest year on record since 1976. When there is a heatwave or warm weather, the soil and ground beneath a building excessively dries out. Depending on your soil type - which varies greatly depending on where your business is based in the UK - its ability to retain water can lead to subsidence, where the ground shrinks and pulls the property down slightly. Cracks are one of the first and most obvious indicators of movement.

“Given the significantly warm summer we have just experienced, we are encouraging facilities managers and owners of commercial buildings to record visible cracks, new and old, regularly. We have introduced our free crack gauge for an easy and guided way to monitor cracks around the premises, instead of simply hiding or covering over these because they might be unsightly for employees or customers.

“We are already beginning to see the structural impact on buildings from this summer’s weather with a significant increase in enquiries across the UK for foundation repair, raising, re-levelling and re-support on both domestic and business properties. It can be tempting to avoid the issue and default to the common approach of painting over the cracks, but this only masks the problem aesthetically and ignores the bigger issue at play; subsidence.

“Subsidence not only devalues the property for land owners and businesses, but it can also be costly and difficult to rectify at later stages with traditional methods like underpinning. It also compromises the structural safety for tenants too, so even if you are renting the space for commercial reasons, it is important to alert your landlord or local authority. It can also make a property harder to sell in the future, and increase the cost of insurance premiums significantly, if left to worsen.

“However, not every wall crack is serious or indicates an issue; many UK buildings will have these. Particularly new builds as buildings “settle”. But all cracks should be monitored over time as they are the biggest warning sign of severe foundation damage, along with jammed doors or windows, or sinking floors.”

Mainmark’s technical sales engineer David Hedley shares three signs that indicate building cracks are serious:

1. Large cracks that start at windows, doorways or corners of buildings

Cracks that indicate a significant issue tend to form in these areas first. They may not be as obvious as ones in the middle of the ceiling or in a very noticeable spot, so checking routinely for cracks in these areas is essential. It’s less spotted by businesses or employees so cleaners or facilities managers could be briefed to check.

2. Cracks are wider than about 5mm (or half a centimetre)

The size of the crack is important, as well as how quickly it forms. A 1mm crack that has been the same for three years is not a big worry, but one that is 0.5cm and growing is a red flag for owners of commercial premises, as the building will require further investigation and action when they are of this significant size.

3. Cracks that are jagged, horizontal or vertical, zig-zagged, stepped in brickwork, or follow mortar lines

With most properties being plastered internally or wallpapered, these cracks can sometimes be a bit hidden. And in commercial settings or an office space, may be in an unused area and go unnoticed. As soon as a jagged or zig-zag crack is visible, consult professional advice or alert a landlord as soon as possible.

Part A structural courses will help you understand more about subsidence and structural issues, and you can find these here.