cracked drywall

[Mike K.]

I recently looked at property with a 3 year old manufactured home on it. I'm not sure what the brand is, the realtor hasn't got back to me yet. Very nice home on frost free pillars which are just about a necessity in northern minnesota. However on the inside where the ceiling and walls join the drywall is cracked. The cracking in throughout the entire house on the exterior walls and the interior walls also. I'm looking for possible causes of this. Perhaps the roof was installed after the 2 halves of the house were put together? I'm looking for info here. I don't know much about manufactured housing. Does the roof contract in the cold dry winters and then expand again in the humid summer? I don't think it's a settling issue because the cracking is uniform throughout the whole house. The floor is level with no squeaks. The doors all fit nicely. They don't swing by themselves or bind. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

[mac]

It sounds to me like a settling issue. The roof is installed at the plant during construction, one big, long piece. I suppose it's possible that no one ever fixed the cracks. I got a very few on my place (now one year old) - just patched' em with drywall patch. Usually flexible caulking is used for the ceiling/wall junction, at least on my place, so you may be correct that it's a thermal - related issue.

I'm not an expert. Try the repair and maint. forum, also mobilehomerepair.com.

[rmurray]

If you are talking about cracks in sheet rock and the home is not lived in with little or no heat...then these can be nothing but expansion...contraction..crakes..easily repaired and avoided with proper interior environmental control..Good Luck

[Roy Bonney]

When there is excessive humidity build up in the crawl space, this moisture "wicks" up into the home. As it travels, it attempts to move from moist warmer air, to cooler drier air, much as water seeks it's own level. If this is occurring in the home, when the moisture wicks to the ceiling, where a topical vapor barrier is installed, as required for thermal zone II and III homes, It can relate in a condition known as "ceiling rise". The appearance is that the molding is drooping, when in fact the ceiling is bowing up slightly. This condition can be created by improper skirting ventilation, and by lack of the proper ground vapor barrier. The fact that the cracking is occurring thru out the home, as opposed to a particular location, provides the indication, that this may in fact be the condition you are seeing.