Heat buld up causing drywall cracks?
Built a screened in porch about a year ago. Ridge beam of porch roof ‘T-boned’ or ‘died into’ the ridge of the main house. Porch rafters rest on sleepers on top of existing roof. Porch was cathedral ceiling, so I installed soffit vent (laying in the veticle plane) into the interior gable end of the porch inside wall, open to the existing rafter bays. The rafter bays the soffit vent opened into were cathedral ceiling rafters over the interior room just inside from the porch.
Client now notices some tape cracks along the ceiling to wall interface of the interior cathedral ceiling just inside from the porch. He’s a great client and does not hold me responsible, but wonders if extra ventilation would help. In my continual quest for knowledge I’m wondering if 1) there would be extra heat 2) if extra ventilation (turbine at ridge) migh t help.
Let’s not confuse the issue with facts!
Replies
It is late enough that I am not clear on the picture of what is and what ain't, but heat could indirectly cause cracks if the framing lumber was not dry when it was enclosed. The shrinkage can often cause cracks in mud joints and nail pops in SR.
I also wonder about things structurally if i understand the description. It sounds like you have added load to the existing ridge and roof. If this added load was more than it was designed for, settling is a likely outcome and settling can cause SR cracks
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You haven't mentioned a ridge vent ... a turbine would be ugly, but there are other methods.
Quite simply, unless you were using KD (eg spruce) there will be shrinkage of the rafters...this will open up the interior angle there, thus cracking. Fill with mud or even moistened-down caulk - the latter will perhaps stretch with continued drying.
All the best...
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.