We have all heard the old adage, “If these walls could talk!” It turns out that the walls of our buildings do in fact talk to us in a way. Whether it is structural or due to lack of maintenance, our walls have certain ways of telling us things. Building movement can result in wall cracks, fractures, dislocated masonry or other visible damage. So if walls could talk, what might they be trying to tell us?
- They are trying to tell us that something is causing movement in such a way that the wall cannot handle it.
- Unanticipated loading could be causing damage to the building’s support system.
- It is possible that the natural ground heaving and settling can move and stress the wall to the point of breaking.
- Maybe the steel support angles are rusting to the point that the masonry becomes dislocated due to oxide-jacking. Critical structural supports like lintels, shelf angles and masonry anchors lose functionality when not maintained properly.
- If our walls crack, they might be trying to tell us that they are “stressed out.” There are a multitude of ways to repair the damage, relieve the stresses and allow mother nature to continue to affect our buildings without causing further damage.
Are you listening to your structure? Start paying attention; it could be trying to tell you something. In order to tackle any maintenance issues before they become larger problems, it is essential to pay attention to the warning signs your structure may be sending you.
If you need more information on masonry restoration, visit us at https://triscosystems.com/masonry-restoration/.