Inspecting Your Parking Structure: Issues To Watch For

Welcome to Restoration System’s first newsletter! As Midwest's leading restoration company, we are excited to educate, inform, and share what we know best- all things masonry, concrete, waterproofing, and traffic coatings of building fa?ade and parking deck restoration.?Let’s get started!

Whether you own or manage a parking structure, there is no question, safety is everything.?If your asset is located anywhere north, where you’ve experienced the freeze-thaw cycle during the winter months, it’s the time of year where you might be looking at your parking structure a little more closely.?While you may already have an inspection program in place, there is no question, a proactive watch is less costly than a reactive response after small issues have been avoided for too long.

It’s Inspection Time!

Midwest weather, the products you may be using to treat ice, and general wear-and-tear can all show produce structure issues in different ways. What are some of the issues you might find??When is it time to call a professional to assist??We are here to help!

When examining your structure, floor to ceiling, you will want to look for some common issues such as cracking, spalling, scaling, efflorescence, and leaking:

Cracks

The fact that a crack or cracks exist in a concrete structure absolutely warrants a property manager’s attention, but it does not necessarily signal an imminent emergency. Cracking is?usually the first sign of distress in concrete and appear for many reasons including a bad batch of concrete, improper curing, and weather.?Structural cracks are of great concern, because the beam, column, or floor slab in which the crack has occurred is compromised and no longer provides the same level of strength and support to the surrounding building components. Aesthetic surface cracks may not pose such immediate structural concern but the consequences to which they can lead can be just as critical.?

Spalling

Leave those cracks untreated long enough and it will eventually lead to larger problems.?Are you noticing flaking, chipping, or large chunks missing from your concrete’s surface??You’ve just identified spalling.?Spalling is more than superficial cosmetic issues in your parking structure.?It is the result of cracks expanding by a combination of chemical and physical processes which causes the reinforcing steel in your parking structure to rust, expand, and then rupture the concrete.?Essentially, left unrepaired, will significantly decrease the construction strength of your asset- which means your asset just became a safety liability.

Scaling

Is your concrete flaking or peeling??That is what we in concrete call scaling.?It is generally a cosmetic issue and is the result of cycles of freezing and thawing. Areas of scaling will generally start small and expand to larger areas that exhibit pronounced surface loss- they may even merge with other areas of scaling.??

Efflorescence

Have you noticed a white powder substance on the walls or floor of your parking structure??This white “artwork” of deposited mineral salts is called efflorescence and is found on unsealed concrete.?This is evidence that moisture is occurring from external sources. The continual movement of moisture from the outside of the building to the interior will eventually wash out all the soluble salts and cause the breakdown of the cement matrix leaving the concrete weak and sandy.?Efflorescence progressively worsens over time.?And aside from structural issues, it can lead to the proliferation of mold, moss, mildew, and persistent musty smells and can adversely affect the health of occupants.

Leaks

Is your parking structure leaking??If leaking even a little bit, this is a strong indication that your asset needs to be repaired.?Evidence of leaking isn’t just visible water.?Exposed metals that are rusting, rust stains along walls, and efflorescence all point water penetration.?Are you finding pooling water??This ponding on concrete floors may lead to the significant deterioration of the concrete.?

Seeing Steel??

Another thing… can you see exposed steel??Any time you can see rebar you should know repairs are necessary.?When rebar is introduced to water, it can cause corrosion and lead to the expansion of up to eight times its original size.?The expansion of rebar allows for more water to get into the cracked and exposed area, and the longer you wait for repairs, the less structurally sound your parking structure becomes.?

When Do You Call A Professional?

So you’ve inspected your parking structure and maybe you find a crack, some scaling, or possible evidence of leaking.?What now??We recommend you get a professional involved for any of the signs of concrete damage we provided.?When a professional like Restoration Systems Inc. is involved at the first sign of damage, you may avoid major repairs, and costly ones at that- like this project of ours here:?

At the end of the day, safety is everything, and any owner or manager of a parking structure should aim to be proactive versus reactive- not only for the sake of costly repairs but to avoid having a structure become a liability.?

BEFORE YOU GO

Are you looking for a professional to provide a realistic evaluation of your parking structure??A reputable professional with over 25+ years of experience? Restoration Systems Inc.?can help! Click here to contact us.

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