I woke up this morning and looked up at the ceiling and there is a huge crack all the way across the ceiling. What in the world is that? I can actually push one side of the ceiling back up. What do I need to do about this? Who do I call? Why is my house cracking up?? Is it dangerous to sleep under it? I am afraid that the ceiling is going to fall down on me while I sleep. Can you tell I am a little stressed about it?? LOL

By Colette on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 05:51 am:

If it's a new ceiling call the contractor. If it's an old ceiling call a sheetrocker/plasterer.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 06:12 am:

I would also check above your room (2nd floor, attic, roof) to see if anything unusual is going on. I hope it's nothing serious! {{{HUGS}}}

By Feona on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 07:35 am:

http://www.hometips.com/home_probsolver/hps07/hps_plaster.html

By Feona on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 07:36 am:

Cracks leading from windows and doors or along seams in the ceiling can signal more significant structural damage or deterioration of the keys in the plaster throughout, so you may want to call a contractor to take a look.

By Luvn29 on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 08:02 am:

Seeing as how you live in the south, I'm going to ask you this question. Is there any blasting going on around you? Such as from mining or anything? I live in VA and there is a lot of coal mining around my area and at one time they were blasting above the legal level and it caused cracks in our very sturdy brick home which caused some cracks in our ceiling. If this is what is causing it you can get in touch with, I don't know, the Health Dept. or if you have one around you, the Mining Dept., and let them know that the blasts are causing stuctural damage because that is illegal.

But if this is not a possibility for you because there is no blasting due to mining or construction, etc. then follow everyone else's advice! LOL!

Hope you figure this out! Has to be very frustrating!

By Marg on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 08:45 am:

I agree with Adena.

We live exactly 1 mile from a quarry (they produce the 'grit' that is top of your shingles).

When they were blasting on this side of the quarry 7-8 years ago. I would come home to pictures hanging sideways, stuff off of shelves, etc.

They would blast every Tuesday and were supposed to set off a siren (didn't happen). The crack in our living/dining room is from it. We live in a house built in 1902. Cement/rock/cement block foundation. IF you were in the house you could feel it tremble (aftershocks). The company swore it would not produce such aftershocks. We took it to the township, had hearings and by that time they were done blasting in our township/county and moved over to the other county.

One man up the road said his whole fireplace was destroyed from this.

By Jtsmom on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 10:10 am:

I have a rock quarry about 3 miles from here, but I never hear or feel anything. This house is abou 40 or 50 yrs old. I guess, I will go get some sheet rock nails and try to patch it myself. This is why I will be glad when DH gets home, so I don't have to fool with anything like this!!!!!

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 10:32 am:

Could be from your house *settling*. Is it actually the entire ceiling you can push back up, or the sheetrocked part? It may be that it's minor as compared to other possibilities. We are experiencing that in our den. At first we thought it was due to stuff stored in the attic. But also, we live in the New Orleans area, where a lot of settling occurs. I think that's part of our problem, and I also think the sheetrock and texturing is part of the problem.

Either way, you should address it. There is *still* the possibility of a more significant problem there.

By Jtsmom on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 07:14 pm:

I think that it is just the Sheetrock. I am not so stressed today. I am going to Home Depot tomorrow to get something to fix it with. I am sure it will be fine.

By Jtsmom on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 07:15 pm:

Feona, thank you so much for that link. For some reason I missed it earlier when I was reading the posts.

By Nanaoie on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 10:39 pm:

Oh boy.......I remember seeing a crack in my ceiling in my kitchen and 3 days later, the entire thing fell.It was a plaster ceiling,and it was 3 in. thick. Thank God it happened in the middle of the night(sounded like a jet hit the house).If someone had been in the kitchen,they would be dead. Please.....Please move your bed out from under it.Call someone, don't wait. Good luck.