My dusty crack is getting bigger and now it smells of smoke!

[summerdays]

View attachment 16000

Eek !!!

On a previous house we had a porch door that would stick every time we had a dry spell - to the extent that when we couldn't open the door we would water the surrounding ground - then it would be fine. It was irritating but definitely not in the same league as yours!!

 

[asterix]

Here's a more illustrative photo for your horror and amusement:

View attachment 16279

Nah. Bit of decorating that's all it needs.. Strong wallpaper.

(Knew it'd be just above the landing, that's where they all go.)

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Duct tape?

 

[Fnaar]

Bit of polyfilla there and you're sorted. Then just paper over the cracks, and hey presto! problem solved.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Bit of polyfilla there and you're sorted. Then just paper over the cracks, and hey presto! problem solved.

I was going to ask if you were typing with your mouth full but you seem to have resolved the situation!

 

[Maz]

Ah, Andrew - I wish I'd never read this thread. I feel for you! Must admit, you seem upbeat about it - which is the right attitude, IMO, otherwise your health would suffer too. Wish I could help, but I hope you get some sort of result.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Bit of polyfilla there and you're sorted. Then just paper over the cracks, and hey presto! problem solved.

Done that many times over the last twelve years! Good job we're here for the long haul!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Ah, Andrew - I wish I'd never read this thread. I feel for you! Must admit, you seem upbeat about it - which is the right attitude, IMO, otherwise your health would suffer too. Wish I could help, but I hope you get some sort of result.

We're so used to this that the whole situation has become a bit of a running joke. Our neighbours are pretty much our family and my adopted brother (we adopted him when he was 19) lives one door away, we love this house.

Having an ongoing 'issue' also means we can't change mortgages so Northern Rock residuals are stuck with us, which is awesome. We think they're awesome!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Here's what the top of our kitchen door looks like.

The outside crack is harder to see, but the old crack is denoted by the bodge up motor fix you can see.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Wow, lucky you're in a terrace!

 

[rich p]

Run for your life. Women and children first.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Wow, lucky you're in a terrace!

We're end terrace and there is a gap of a few cm between us and next door, which makes it even stranger that we can smell our neighbour smoking!

 

[Night Train]

We're end terrace and there is a gap of a few cm between us and next door, which makes it even stranger that we can smell our neighbour smoking!

So technically you are detached, at least above ground level? That won't stop air movements through the crack bringing in smells though.

I would say that you really do need professional advice to determine the amount of movement, the cause, and the solution.
It may not be so bad but it is difficult to determine from a few photos and words.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

So technically you are detached, at least above ground level? That won't stop air movements through the crack bringing in smells though.

I would say that you really do need professional advice to determine the amount of movement, the cause, and the solution.
It may not be so bad but it is difficult to determine from a few photos and words.

The insurance company has been monitoring for a few years now, so we're okay for now.

There was a road running down the side of our house for years, the road was closed and a house (our neighbour) was build in its place. All this happened at least 100 years ago.

The house next door was empty for a few years and then bought at auction by its current owner who didn't have a survey done, her face dropped when I told her about our subsidence issues. From the fact we can smell the owner's tennant smoking I deduce that there may be issues next door as well.

We have place a Neutradol in the pantry for now, to stop all our food smelling of smoke.

 

[Globalti]

Positive air pressure in your house would force the smells out. Something like this, blowing inwards ought to do it: