Winter for a house

Winters are sometimes rough on house interiors. Especially, if you go away and leave your house for extended periods of time, with the heat set very low. You may think you are saving money. But in the long run you may be doing more damage.  Of course, the foundation settling or structural it is compromised. These are big fixes.  But let’s assume the house is structurally fine, and the drywall is cracking as 
a result of the temperature fluctuations during the winter.

The problem is, drywall doesn’t perform well in unheated houses, and if it was installed incorrectly, it’s even more likely to crack. “Every unheated drywalled house I’ve ever been in always cracks after winter.  The house frame expands and contracts; drywall, attached to it, doesn’t have much give, and can fracture. (Wood, on the other hand, deals better with winter movement). In addition, winters are dry and maintaining constant humidity level inside is another good precaution. Try using a humidifier as well as maintaining a constant temperature (not just above freezing). The winter will affect your plaster/drywall, but due to the lower relative humidity more than the change in temperature. Even so, in spite of your best efforts, you may still experience cracks in the future. If so, you made need more insulation. At that point you can install new drywall and allow for the expansion. Otherwise, it is structural.

If you constantly have these issues. We would be happy to meet with you and give you our opinion. In the winter the cracks are the biggest.