Cracks In Ceiling

[Dick]

Have a cathedral ceiling in living room of condo. The ceiling has a dormer with a window. The condo is three years old and for those past three years, when we return home the celing is cracked (roughly 2 ft wide) between the opening for the dormer and the wall. The builder has always repaired but he is now hedging saying that the problem is when we shut the house down without any ventillation or ac, the ceiling is being stressed because of the heat building up during the hot days of summer. Is this a valid theory? Should I buy into this or is there a problem with construction? What does it take to correct problem?

[sailors10]

Need more information.

The builder is full of crape.

The crack is 2' long or really 2' wide?

What is the wall/ceiling material that is cracking? Is it in the joints or corners?

Most cracks are caused by a water source. Could the dormer be a water source? Flashings, step flashings, siding, valleys could all be sources.

-Lee

[barry]

You need to give better word-picture. Like we have no idea what you're talking about.

Wood changes dimension seasonally- primary cause of drywall joint cracking. Since you mention "cracking" it seems like you're talking a straight-line opening (along an _untaped_ joint) vice the jagged tear you'd get within a sheet of drywall. IOW- joint needs proper taping; maybe more joints do.

Meanwhile, what sort of roof ventilation is there? 3YO house should have soffit vents feeding channels under roof deck and discharging at ridge. Or it was stupidly/cheaply done. IMHO.

J

[Dick]