Subsidence – What to look out for

Following a hot summer with little rainfall, and hosepipe bans a plenty we are seeing soil shrinkage which could lead to an increase in subsidence claims. These tend to be long tail and expensive with an ongoing impact to building insurance cover/premiums in subsequent years. Keep an eye out for early indications of potential subsidence; the below is from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) page around spotting subsidence.

The first sign of subsidence is usually the appearance of cracks in your home’s walls, either in the internal plasterwork or external brickwork. Subsidence cracks are quite distinctive from other cracks. They usually appear suddenly, especially after long periods of dry weather, and tend to be:

·         Diagonal, and wider at the top than at the bottom

·         Thicker than a 10 pence coin

·         Found around doors and windows

Other signs of subsidence include doors and windows sticking for no obvious reason, and wallpaper ripping or crinkling that is not caused by damp. 

However, if a crack appears it does not necessarily mean subsidence. Many properties experience cracking from time to time, but only rarely is this caused by subsidence. Most common causes for cracks could include: 

·         That buildings naturally shrink and swell in response to changes in temperature and humidity, leading to minor cracks where walls and ceilings meet.

·         New homes and recently build extensions often experience cracking as the structures settle under their own weight.

·         Fine cracks are also common in freshly plastered walls as they dry out.

Cracks arising from these causes are usually uniform in width, narrow (hairline to 3mm) and can be dealt with during routine maintenance or redecoration.

If in doubt email the team at info@knightsquareinsurance.co.uk