What is concrete cancer?
Concrete cancer can be described as a ‘ticking time bomb’ – if you haven’t heard of it, then luckily your property may have not been affected. Unfortunately, more and more Australian buildings are finding cases of concrete cancer. To ensure you keep your building well-protected, there are a few things you should know to manage this phenomenon.
What is concrete cancer?
Concrete cancer occurs when the steel reinforcing inside the concrete is exposed to moisture and rust. The steel begins to be displaced, cracks and eventually the concrete breaks away.
Why is concrete cancer an issue?
Not only does concrete cancer affect your building’s appearance and depreciate overall value but it can wreak havoc on the integrity and safety of your buildings. Of great concern for residential and commercial strata entities is the potential structural damage concrete cancer can cause.
How to identify concrete cancer?
Unless you’re a structural engineer, signs of concrete cancer are often mistaken for general weathering and dilapidation as a majority of the concrete cancer damage occurs on the inside of the building.
Some common signs include:
- Cracks in the concrete
- Rust stains
- Bubbling of concrete render
- Leaks in the roof of internal walls
As some buildings are a lot more susceptible to concrete cancer, it is important to understand if and how at risk your building may be. In our next instalment, we’ll cover which buildings are most at risk and how to go about treating concrete cancer.
