Weather Extremes Take A Toll on Structures – Protect Your Investment

Here in Alberta, extreme weather conditions are increasingly becoming the norm, from blistering heat to numbing cold, and everything in between. Drastic swings in temperature and humidity levels throughout the year can wreak havoc on concrete and stone foundations and surfaces. Keeping a watchful eye on the condition of these important components is critical to ensuring the structural integrity and safety of your property.

Aside from foundations, areas that are particularly vulnerable to deterioration caused by extreme weather include parkades, exterior cladding, balconies, bridges, slabs, driveways and sidewalks. Poured and precast concrete components, as well as granite and other building materials take a beating from the elements and should be examined regularly.

Cracks, chips, gaps and flaking can quickly lead to further deterioration, resulting in a costly replacement project if not treated promptly. In many cases, when addressed early, components can be effectively repaired rather than replaced entirely.

Check for Warning Signs

Here are a few things to watch for when examining your property:

• Sealant Gaps: Extreme temperature fluctuations cause increased expansion and contraction of concrete, and the sealant materials or gaskets used between slabs and panel c-channel joints are subjected to greater strains. This is particularly problematic with precast and granite clad structures where air leakage and moisture penetration can occur.
• Cracking: Once there is a crack through a concrete or precast wall or slope ceiling, gravity and air pressure can move water into the structure and the principal defense against moisture penetration is breached, leading to interior damage and the potential for mold growth.
• Buckling: Extreme freeze-thaw cycles and heat exposure can cause material to buckle. Additionally, if there are large trees around the concrete property, the roots may grow under the structure, causing slabs to buckle and split apart.
• Shrinkage, shifting and settling: Concrete has moisture in it when placed and as that water evaporates, the concrete shrinks. The amount of shrinkage depends on how wet the concrete starts out. Joints in concrete help control shrinkage and settling but cannot prevent cracking completely.
• Corrosion of reinforcing steel: Steel rebar is protected inside concrete because the concrete is very alkaline which prevents rust. Chloride from de-icing chemicals used in Alberta’s frigid winters can get into the concrete through cracks or by seeping through the concrete’s pore structure, causing rust to form. Rust has greater volume than steel and the expansion presses against the concrete causing it to crack and pop off.
• Cracks from structural loads: Cracks in concrete floors, walls, beams or columns may signal major structural problems. A crack can be very narrow, even invisible, and until the concrete cracks the steel doesn’t start getting pulled to hold the concrete together. If there is no steel, inadequate steel, or the loads are too heavy, cracks can become wider allowing moisture to penetrate the surface, causing significant damage.
• Blistering and delamination: Delamination can occur over time as the surface is subjected to wear and exposure to the elements. Concrete surfaces may develop blisters caused by prematurely finishing and sealing the concrete surface, sealing in air and bleeding water.

Determining the Right Repair Solution

The type and location of damage requires different repair methods and materials. For example, small foundation cracks may only require a simple epoxy concrete repair, while repairing granite slabs or concrete beams demand the use of engineered hydraulic or carbon fiber reinforced compounds.

How Does AllVert Help?

AllVert solves all types of problems, from simple concrete crack repairs, to replacing c-channel sealing joints in precast panels, to slab replacements, to full structural rehabilitation. Our team works closely with property owners and managers to complete an evaluation and repair recommendation, as well as a budget estimate, to meet long- or short-term needs.

Get the AllVert Team Working for You

Our trained technicians are equipped with the latest tools and materials to do concrete and granite repairs safely and efficiently, for apartment, condo and commercial buildings, as well as structures such as parkades, bridges, retaining walls – even skate parks! If you notice cracks, open gaps, spalling or damage to coatings, contact AllVert on the double and get a FREE estimate.