We did not have any ceiling cracks but skim coating or texturing the ceiling if you avoid screwing anything in should work fine based on the experiences of others in our complex.
Radiant ceiling heat cracks.
In the older form electric heating elements are sandwiched between a layer of drywall and a layer of plaster.
Radiant ceiling heat was real popular here in the 1970s there were 3 mehtods of installation.
But unless you re really intent on period authenticity bus s suggestion is probably the right one install something more maintainable and more efficient.
In fact the temperature variant from ceiling to floor is only about 1 c 2 f.
Where ceiling heating makes sense.
The thing about this radiant heat cieling is the cracks are occuring from heating and cooling of the cieling in a rapid manner not from structual movement that is why the crack will stay behind the paper tape.
I owned a condo a few years ago with radiant ceiling heat similar construction timeframe i guess warm air fell in the 70s.
A direct transference of clean even heat from object to object without fans pumps or hoses silent motionless and invisible.
Here the radiant heat can unfold in the best possible way with flow temperatures of between 26 and 40 c.
Btw i had something similar many years ago 2x4 radiant panels that dropped into my rec room s drop ceiling grid.
Ceiling radiant heat is an interesting historical anomaly.
Our electric radiant ceiling heating system also eliminates cold and hot spots throughout the environment.
Low temperature ceiling heating can be used in rooms with a height of between 2 5 and 3 5 meters.
Radiant ceiling heat comes in two main forms.
Mesh will not help this problem as it does nothing the crack will travel through the mesh to the surface.