Cap-It-All Building Inspections

Concrete honeycombing is derived from the appearance a concrete slab because it resembles the honeycomb nests created by bees.

Can concrete honeycombing damage my home?

In general terms concrete honeycombing is a cosmetic condition that is only found in the exterior areas of the concrete pour.

However, if honeycombing is left untreated in areas of possible moisture penetration, serious structural conditions such as concrete cancer could occur. Concrete cancer is the rusting of steel reinforcement from within the concrete forcing the layers of rust to push away the concrete surrounding it. We recommend that honeycomb be immediately repaired in areas of high exposure to moisture, and regularly monitored in areas adequately protected from weathering.

How is concrete honeycombing repaired?

Assuming that the area of honeycombing is isolated to the exterior face of your foundation a relatively minor repair can be undertaken. The repair itself consists of a few basic steps, but should nonetheless be undertaken by someone that is competent and knowledgeable about the procedure. The common approach includes:

• Isolate the affected area by removing layers of honeycombing until suitable concrete is exposed
• Thoroughly clean the area to be repaired and remove all dirt and loose aggregate
• Wet the cleaned area prior to applying non-shrink grout
• Texture and colour should then be matched for aesthetic finish

 

Author: Lewis Flatt – Cap-It-All Building Inspections, servicing the Perth Metro Area

Thermal imaging is a technology that is not used by all building inspectors. This blog looks at why thermal
imaging is important and the types of defects that thermal imaging may help identify around a building.

Why use an inspector that utilises thermal imaging?
The Australian standard AS4349.1 Inspection of buildings
Part 1: Pre-purchase inspections – Residential buildings states that a pre-purchase building inspection is visual only. As such, it is often difficult to accurately identify certain building defects without the aid of specialised equipment. The Australian standard also states that the inspection is not intended to include rigorous
assessment of all building elements in a property. As the average inspector will be inspecting a property for
anywhere between 1-3 hours, it is not plausible for them to individually test every roof timber in the roof for
example. This is why thermal imaging is essential to the inspection process. Additional defects can be identified before they cause significant structural damage, and more of your home can be assessed in the time that the
inspector has on site.

How does thermal imaging work?
Thermal imaging is a measurement of the surface temperature of a material. A simple demonstration
is as follows:

This basic principal of thermography allows us to detect changes in temperature within building elements, such as hot water running through plumbing pipework or water leaking onto roof timbers.

 

Defective or Missing Insulation
As building regulations and compliance guidelines continue to promote energy efficient homes, often the
installation of energy efficient products deter the results of the desired effect. This is particularly the case with insulation. A thermal imaging camera can detect areas where insulation is missing or poorly installed. For
example, often insulation is not tucked into the corners around the external of the building where the cornice is located, and as such the building is not adequately insulated. Additionally, an electrician may have installed downlights and to achieve the necessary clearance of insulation just pulled it back as opposed to installing downlight covers. In this instance it may prove cost effective to obtain a price from a suitably qualified person to make the necessary upgrades and increase the energy efficiency of the home. This is especially applicable to Perth residents due to our hot climates and increasing energy bills.

 

Termite Identification
Termites may have travelled undetected up the cavity of the building, and straight into roof timbers, and as such the damage they are causing would be unidentifiable to the naked eye. As termite workers continue to digest the timber within the building, their bodies omit heat. As such thermal imaging may assist in the
identification of termite damage. Upon this finding, our inspector will use a combination of the Termatrac T3i as well as a sounding tool to further investigate the presence of termites. Termite identification is a skilled task, and termites are notoriously shy creatures, so care must be taken to engage an adequately qualified and equipped
inspector to undertake this task. Most recent figures indicate that the average repair cost for termite damage to a home is $7,000, and that at least 1 in 4 homes in Australia will be affected by termites.

The above list is not exhaustive and is merely an indication of the capabilities of thermal imaging.
Thermal imaging is a growing technology and its uses continue to grow. For example, as well as being used in the building industry, it is also used in areas such as plant and mechanical engineering, and has even been used to spot medical issues and injuries by doctors and veterinarians in both human and animal patients.

 

Can Anyone Use a Thermal Imaging Camera?
The images that are displayed on a thermal image don’t always tell the full story. Reflected heat may give false readings, and certain building materials may require differing assessments. For example, differing interpretations may be required if assessing a roof covering with black roof tiles as opposed to a white steel-sheet roof. This is because the two materials have different emissivity values. The emissivity of a material is the relative ability of its surface to emit energy by radiation. It is the ratio of energy radiated by a particular material to energy radiated by a black body at the same temperature. A true black body would have an emissivity equal to one while any real object would have an emissivity less than one. Emissivity is a dimensionless quantity.

In general, the duller and blacker a material is, the closer its emissivity is to one. The more reflective a material is, the lower its emissivity. Highly polished silver has an emissivity of about 0.02.

If your inspector hasn’t been trained in thermal imaging and doesn’t understand these principals, then the use of their thermal imaging equipment may be rendered useless.

 

How Much Does a Thermal Imaging Inspection cost?
At Cap-It-All Building Inspections we see thermal imaging as an additional layer of customer service which
allows us to conduct the most thorough and efficient inspection possible. As such thermal imaging is
incorporated into all of our prices, and we will conduct investigations in all areas that we deem necessary during the inspection. Our price list can be found here, and enquiries can be made through our website here.
Alternatively, give us a call on (08) 9405 8710 and we would be more than happy to discuss your inspection needs.

Author: Lewis Flatt – Cap-It-All Building Inspections, servicing the Perth Metro Area

‘Drummy’ is a term used by building professionals to explain the hollow, drum-like sound emitted when a surface such as concrete, cement render, direct stick timber floors or tiles are struck by a sounding tool.

What causes drummy tiles?

There may be a number of reasons that tiles have become drummy or loose including:

• Lack of adhesive originally used by tiler in the laying process resulting in the creation of hollow voids
• Incorrect adhesive used by the tiler
• Tiles not laid onto adhesive quick enough, affecting strength of finished bond
• Incorrect preparation of substrate prior to laying of tiles. Examples include not allowing a concrete slab to fully cure or not sufficiently cleaning the substrate of dust and particles
• Thermal exposure
• Lack of control / expansion joints
• Faults created in individual tiles in the manufacturing process
• Timber Pest attack to substrate
• Moisture exposure such as a burst pipe causing flooding
• Tiled floors receiving traffic prior to full bonding strength being achieved

Does the identification of drummy tiles indicate a structural problem within my home?

Of the above causes, only two of the above dot points would be considered a structural problem within your home, namely timber pest attack and excessive moisture exposure. All of the other points discussed are likely to be the result of poor workmanship. We are lucky enough in Perth to have predominantly double-masonry homes, and as such timber pest attack is less likely to be a result of drummy tiles.

If a moisture problem exists, your experienced building inspector should be able to make an experienced judgement when assessing the cause of the drummy tiles. All of our inspections are aided by the use of a moisture meter.

How do I fix the problem?

If the bulk of the tiled area has been affected then it is probably easier to remove and replace all of the tiles. If however only a small area of the tiling is affected, the tiles may be lifted, cleaned, and relayed. In both instances it is imperative that ALL of the old adhesive is removed and the surface correctly prepared prior to the laying / re-laying of the tiles.

Should you need to match tiles that have been damaged The Tile Library in Osborne Park are Perth’s largest stockist of obsolete and discontinued tiles. For matching purposes it is best to take a sample in where possible and consider the cost of the area that needs to be replaced in comparison to the area as a whole from a retailer (you may find it cheaper to sale your undamaged area to the tile library and replace the whole area with new as the ‘matching’ price can be quite expensive).

On some floors, where the tiles and adhesive are coming away relatively cleanly, the option of injecting a bonding liquid into the void is viable. Skilled operatives drill holes in grout joints and inject specialised liquids to re-bond the tiles. This usually provides a permanent solution to the problem, but is only available if the plane of the de-bonding is smooth so the bonding liquid can flow adequately.

Finally, there is a D.I.Y product on the market called ‘stick it’ by ‘shalex industries’ which has received favourable reviews. This is an injection method and is supplied with full project instructions.

Author: Mark Flatt – Cap-It-All Building Inspections, servicing the Perth Metro Area

In one of our previous blogs we talked about the impending release of the intergenerational report and the discussions that are likely to be entered into surrounding housing affordability.

The first discussion is the effectiveness in allowing first homebuyers to access their superannuation for a home deposit. In our blog we look at some of the pros and cons of this policy becoming a reality.

It is great that discussions have begun in addressing housing affordability for first homebuyers. However, policies to ensure that supply is kept up with demand is considered crucial in addressing this problem, and care must be taken before any policies are implemented that may increase demand for housing.

Demand issues have decreased as of late in comparison to 2014. The number of loans to owner occupiers for the construction and purchase of new homes declined by 5.3 per cent and the number of loans to owner occupiers buying established homes, excluding refinancing, fell by 7.9 per cent, in comparison to January 2014 when assessing January 2015’s loan approval figures.

We believe this decline is partially due to the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority’s December letter to lending institutions outlining their intention to increase the level of supervisory oversight of mortgage lending. The letter detailed some specific areas of concern noting high LVR loans, fast growth in lending to investors, and mortgage affordability in a (future) higher interest rate environment. It remains to be seen if this has a long-term impact of lending from financial institutions. However, demographical data supports increased future demand in housing, so we believe that any perceived ‘credit squeeze’ will only represent a short term problem when evaluating Australian housing growth figures.

Author: Lewis Flatt – Cap-It-All Building Inspections, servicing the Perth Metro Area

Ever wondered what that white powder is on your brickwork? This blog looks at what efflorescence is and whether it poses a structural threat.

Can efflorescence damage my home?

Generally efflorescence is a cosmetic problem. However, as stated above, there must be sufficient moisture content in a masonry product for efflorescence to take effect. Excessive moisture can contribute to many structural issues, such as rising damp or mould growth, & can even cause concrete cancer & foundation movement. If you are concerned that your home may be subject to moisture damage, it is always best to contact a suitably qualified inspector.

How do I remove efflorescence?

• Firstly it should be noted that often the removal of efflorescence could be a laborious & ultimately unsuccessful task. The following methods may be recommended for removal of efflorescence:
• Get the wall bone dry (where possible), and then try to remove the powder with a stiff brush. Lift off any remaining crystals with a damp sponge. This method is our recommendation for removal.
• Water blasting & hosing may initially look good, although ultimately you have just added moisture to the problem & during the drying process the problem may increase.
• Acids often state that they will clean off efflorescence although the efflorescence must be washed down before application, & as above the results may initially seem successful but you may have just restarted the cycle. We believe the inconvenience & danger to the user outweighs the likelihood of a successful outcome.
• Alkaline cleaners could also possibly work although research suggests that the alkali content in Portland cement is a key contributed towards efflorescence, & as such there is a real possibility that you could be putting more salts into the wall.

Efflorescence will often be described as a ‘passing nuisance’, although as explained it indicates a potential moisture problem. If located in an area of little importance when exposed to moisture then efflorescence should be seen for what it is, a sign of life from a product made of natural, raw materials.

Author: Lewis Flatt – Cap-It-All Building Inspections, Servicing the Perth Metro Area