“A man does not plant a tree for himself, he plants it for posterity.”
– Alexander Smith
When planting trees around your property and near your buildings, think in the long term. That small tree will eventually become big, maybe even really big. We get calls related to foundation problems and wall cracks caused by the roots of big trees which were placed too close to the building many years before. Tree roots can exert excessive pressure on the building foundation and walls and lead to structural damage, foundation movement, and water infiltration. Unfortunately, to prevent additional damage to the building the big beautiful tree that has been around for so long typically has to be removed.
It’s hard to find a building today without concrete surfaces stained by rust. Rust stains can adversely transform the aesthetics of a beautiful building. How can rust stains be removed? Let’s find out!
Once rust staining has occurred, it is important to remove the stains without altering the color or finish texture of the concrete. Two techniques which can be implemented are dry methods (i.e. sandblasting, wire brushing, grinding, etc.) and wet methods (i.e. waterblasting, chemicals, etc.). If surface texture is not a priority, the dry methods can be a quick and cost-effective way to remove stains. If the final finish is important, as is commonly the case with architectural concrete, chemical treatments are recommended.
Mild stains usually can be removed with an oxalic acid or phosphoric acid solution, applied to a saturated concrete surface. Deeper stains typically require a poultice, which absorbs the chemical solutions and then forms a paste over the stain. Older buildings require more attention with stain removal because the chemical treatments may remove other contaminants in the concrete, creating a lighter color than the adjacent concrete.
The rule of thumb when putting a cleaning solution on your stained carpet or clothes applies with concrete. Be sure to test different chemicals on small, inconspicuous areas to evaluate the treatment. Also, the longer you let a stain sit, the more difficult it is to remove, so seek help quickly when rust stains appear!
While there is no one “most” important component of any given building envelope system, flashings are certainly critical parts. Whether it be roofing (flat or sloped), exterior cladding (brick, siding, EIFS, etc.) or windows and doors, flashings play a key role in the success of these systems.
Flashings can consist of metal, sheet materials, or even liquid-applied membranes and are typically located at key areas (window/door perimeters, wall transitions, penetrations through roofs or walls, etc.) that would otherwise be prone to leakage. Their primary functions are to keep water away from vulnerable components and/or redirect it away from interior spaces.
The cost of installing proper flashings is a relatively low percentage of an overall system. On the other hand, the effects and costs associated with missing or improper flashings can be extreme.
We regularly encounter the consequences when flashings are not included or are improperly installed. In addition to obvious problems (interior water penetration) rot or corrosion of framing and other concealed building elements can develop and progress unnoticed. Such damage can be extensive and even disturbing.
The accompanying photographs show what can happen when an EIFS assembly lacks flashings to collect and divert water away from internal elements. Repeated and prolonged wetting of the underlying wood components produced the severe damage you see and it went undetected until we opened the system up for inspection.
When making EIFS repairs, you may need to paint the wall to blend the new and old top coat colors and hide the repairs. It is usually not too difficult to make the new patch texture match that on the existing wall. Lighter top coat colors can become darker over time due to dirt accumulation and age. So the new patch may stand out even though the same color top coat produced by the same manufacturer is used to make the repair. Top coat material of the same color can also vary in shade from batch to batch. Both photos show EIFS repairs, but the darker color is nearly invisible, while the lighter is easily seen.
Signs are everywhere. Often we just need to spend the time to look for them. Buildings sometimes have these signs that tell us problems (or at least potential problems) exist. The pictures in this particular blog posting show one example of a sign. The efflorescence or white staining, or as this picture shows – white stalactites, generally indicate that moisture has penetrated into the building component.
By now, I am sure most building owners and managers know that water is BAD when it comes to building components. Water can lead to premature deterioration in concrete, masonry, wood, etc. components. The need to protect or manage this water is critical to the long term performance of a building.
The second picture shows the underlying issues after the outer concrete had fallen – the concrete behind the stalactites was saturated and significantly deteriorated. The needed repair now involves the removal and replacement of the affected concrete.
Please pay attention to your signs or if you need assistance evaluating your signs, please give us a call!
We have recently found a few buildings with EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finishing Systems) intended to be a moisture drainage design, which were missing weeps. The manufacturers of these systems require weep elements (drainage tracks, holes, slots, etc.) along the base of the walls and at transitions to allow water that infiltrates behind the EIFS to discharge. Without weeps the water remains trapped in the wall and can lead to leaks inside the building, mold, damage to structural elements, and even falling pieces of EIFS cladding.
Applying caulk to stop leaks is not always a good thing. Sometimes it makes matters worse by trapping water in the building façade instead of letting it drain. Here are a few areas where NOT to caulk:
*Along window or door head lintels on brick facades – leads to advanced corrosion of the steel support and either rotated/deflected steel or cracked bricks.
*Soffit (ceiling) of elevated concrete slabs (i.e. balconies, parking garage slabs) – traps water in the concrete and accelerates corrosion of the embedded steel and deterioration of the concrete
*Over/covering window weep holes – prevents windows from draining properly