Building Inspections South Perth
Building Inspections South Perth. Concrete cancer or concrete spalling as the name implies is a defect that home inspectors commonly encounter in the home inspection process. The defect is usually on dwellings that make use of suspended concrete slab for construction.
Home » Blog »The intention of this blog post is to explore the possible damage that concrete cancer may cause to a building, as well its occupants.
Concrete cancer occurs when the reinforce steel starts rusting owing to exposure to moisture. This visible defect looks terrible and it’s a huge safety hazard if not attended to. It is capable of compromising the integrity of the entire concrete slab.
The following are the common causes of concrete cancer;
- Inadequate waterproofing to rooftop balconies
- Cantilevered structures exposed to water
- Leaking pipes enclosed in the concrete
- Seepage of water through minor cracks in the concrete
- Reinforcement not adequately prepared at the time of pour
Structural Damage
It is important to tackle this defect early before it degenerates into a major structural damage. If concrete cancer occurs in your building or apartment, tackling the problem early will make you avoid significant repair cost. However, if the defect goes undetected, it could lead to failure of the concrete slab and then could possibly cause permanent injury or death.
Recently, our experienced team of building inspectors Perth inspected some apartments in Perth. The building was over 30 years old however was in immaculate condition. No significant defects were noted throughout the course of the building inspection – however the basement level and the garage were locked.
It was fortunate that the building inspector requested access to these areas and the keys were located. Sections of the basement were below a leaking external patio and the garage had garden beds above. Both areas has significant concrete cancer (spalling) occurring to the underside of the concrete slabs and were going to require significant repair / replacement works.
The client was able to make an informed decision and opted not to proceed with the purchase of this particular house.
Buying a new property is more often than not fraught with risk. You won’t know the true condition of the house except if you hire a professional building inspector to assess the building for you.
If you have the intention to purchase a new apartment or you observed some abnormalities with your present apartment, please feel free to contact us.
You will be linked to one of our experienced home or building inspectors who will respond to all your queries.
