If window seals or External Flashing fail, water can seep into the wall. This weakens the drywall or plaster, causing it to swell, crumble, or crack as it dries unevenly.
Windows are natural weak points in a wall’s structure. The combination of a large opening, changing materials (wood/vinyl frame vs. brick/plaster), and constant environmental stress makes this area prone to cracking. Common causes include:
He stood up, driven by a sudden, frantic need to fix it. He grabbed his tools. He would rip the drywall out if he had to. He would find the stud, see what was causing the stress.
The strangest part wasn’t the quantity of the cracks, but their uniformity. They formed distinct patterns—triangles and arches that looked almost architectural. They looked like doorways.
By October, the cracks had stopped hiding. They weren’t just around the windows anymore; they were framing them. It looked as if the glass was trying to push its way out of the wall, or perhaps something behind the wall was trying to push its way in.
"Is it bright out there?"