Dealing With Flooding

3 Signs a Building Requires Demolition

This article covers a few important signs that you should keep an eye out for when evaluating the safety of a building. Remember, these are only suggestions of the symptoms that may warrant property demolition or remediation; each situation must be evaluated individually.

Unstable foundations

One of the most common problems that lead to buildings requiring demolition is a poor foundation. If a property was built on a poorly compacted dirt or sand foundation, there's a chance it could sink over time. Most soils have the ability to support the weight of a building indefinitely. However, if the soil is weak or saturated with water, this is not the case.

The key indicator for this type of problem will be uneven flooring on different levels of the building. Each room may experience different ground levels due to the uneven foundation moving at different rates in different parts of the house.

Cracks in the foundation can be caused by a number of factors.  Most often, they appear as "sinkholes" or "swales" around the building or even zones where there is no soil at all. Whatever the reason, cracks indicate that there is insufficient support for the building and may cause it to fail sooner rather than later. This is especially true if the cracks are accompanied by a bulge in the building's walls or ceilings, as this will indicate that the crack has worsened to the point that it is putting pressure on the structure.

Rotting wood

Rotting wood is one of the first signs that the building's structure is starting to deteriorate. This is usually due to water damage or poor ventilation and is generally accompanied by an unpleasant odour emanating from the affected areas. The worst areas of rot can result in structural problems, where the beams and posts no longer have sufficient strength to support the building's weight. Often, rot on exterior wooden structures will be seen as discoloured stains on the surface of a wall or floor (often indicated by curled up or peeling paint).

Bowed studs

Another common visual sign that a property needs to be demolished is bowed studs. These are typically found between floor joists and will appear as vertical stripes in wallboards or ceiling tiles. These can be caused by excessive moisture, which leads to swelling of wood and weakening of studs, eventually forming large cracks. While some 'bowing' of structural wood panels is normal due to changes in temperature and humidity, extreme bowing indicates weakened condition requiring professional intervention.

If you would like further advice, you should contact a damage contractor today. They can provide further information regarding demolition


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