Your home, like all homes, moves in several directions every day. I often tell people that a building is like a big balloon. When the sun hits it, it swells in all directions. When the wind howls, one side is pushed in, causing another side to push out. Different parts react in varying ways, but nevertheless, the house moves. Add moisture, indoor temperature changes, and everyday wear and tear, and things - especially rigid materials - are going to crack.You can fix the small things temporarily by addressing each problem, one at a time. Wall base molding can be carefully nailed back into place with finish nails and glue, the holes filled with wood putty, and then painted. The ceilings may require some careful attention to filling the cracks, depending on their width, with resilient sealant, before skim-coating the whole area, again with a resilient ceiling and wallboard compound, and then painting. The reason I say resilient, as opposed to latex, silicone or another type of sealant is that the current painted surface may be either water- or oil-based paint. Oil-based painted surfaces will cause a water-based sealant to peel off. If you aren't sure of how to check for this, you may want to hire a professional painter who knows what to do. Remember, 50 percent of painting is preparation, and unless surfaces are prepared correctly, the lovely finish from that first day will not last.If the cracking is caused by something other than age and dried-out materials, which I suspect, then you have to live with the problem of structural defects caused by undersized floor or roof members. The only way to know is by having an engineer or architect look over the house and give you an informed opinion. It may seem like a big expense to repair structure (although sometimes the answer is a simple one), but in planning any work, you really should know all your options. A consult with a professional, relatively speaking, isn't expensive, because it can save you thousands. You'd be amazed at how many letters I get from people who have repaired the same area over and over, just because they didn't solve the underlying problem. Good luck with your new home!Readers are encouraged to send questions to: HERALD Homes, 379 Central Avenue, P.O. Box 220, Lawrence, N.Y. 11559-0220Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
