Spontaneous Plaster Ceiling Collapse

7/8/2019 (Permalink)

Plaster ceiling collapse

There are a few things to look for such as cracks or nail pops. If you can see small round dimples scattered along a straight line it is a sign that your drywall is pulling away from the nails thus the dimples. Because drywall can warp significantly and the fact that nails can pull through the drywall without causing a hole or dimple in the overlying plaster these visual clues may not be present. People even report hearing the occasional popping or cracking sound prior to failure with no visual clues being seen. The absolute best way to check your ceilings is to go into the attic and see if you can slide something between the ceiling and the joists. Some other ways to check to see if your ceiling is about to fail is to measure the height of your ceiling where it meets the wall and then measure the ceiling height in several other areas in the middle of the room. You should suspect a problem if you find a measurement difference of a quarter inch. If it is a half inch or more you can be almost assured that your family is in danger. You can also try tightly stretching a string from one side of the room to another and see if there are low spots anywhere in your ceiling. You can also push up on the ceiling and see if it moves but remember ceilings are heavy and it takes some strength and experience to catch it this way. If you are experiencing any of these ceiling symptoms please call SERVPRO of Carroll County 410-857-5332.