- Water Intrusion.
When concrete cracks, water can get between the concrete layer and the wood sub-floor. This keeps the wood wet, leading to rot and deterioration. Cracks can happen as a result of too much weight on the concrete or be caused by extreme temperature fluctuations. Once cracks appear, you’ll need to have the wood underpayment checked by a professional to ensure it remains structurally sound.
Here you can see visibly cracked concrete as well as rust and corrosion of the balcony’s metal railing. - Carpeting & Concrete.
Carpeting should never
be laid on top of concrete. This is particularly true on balconies. What happens is that the carpet material will retain water and let it continually seep into the concrete below. Eventually, cracks will develop in the concrete that will leak into the wood structure beneath.
Carpeting undermines the concrete, causing spalling and cracks that leak water onto the wooden supports beneath. - Look From Below.
While signs of concrete cracks and erosion are indicators of the potential for more problems hidden within the balcony structure, sometimes the only way to make a true determination is to look underneath the balcony from below. In these instances, it is likely to require removal of any metal or wood sheeting that may have been applied to the underside of the balcony to provide visual appeal.
The wood underlayment shown here is completely deteriorated, undermining the integrity of the concrete balcony.
Falls from heights and on a working surface are among the leading causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths. In recent years, OSHA has updated its rule on Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems (OSHA 1910.27(b)(1)(i) to better protect workers from these hazards—clarifying standards and adding training and inspection requirements. This rule is closely tied to another OSHA regulation requiring that a leading edge 6 feet or more above a lower level be protected by guardrail systems, safety net systems or personal fall arrest systems. To ensure worker safety and protect people and objects attached to the building from […]
Some structural engineering projects are just a little more interesting to work on than others. This was the case when K2N Crest was called in to evaluate flood damage impacting the foundational supports for a large water pipe crossing the ‘Iao River in Maui, Hawaii. The ‘Iao River flows through one of the state’s most beautiful parks. It is also the site where one of Hawaii’s bloodiest battles took place when Kamehameha I from the island of Hawai’i fought to unite the islands under his rule in 1790. There were so many slain from both armies during the battle at […]
“As our business continues to grow, we’ve increased staff to provide additional expertise in structural engineering and architectural design,” said Don Kimball, co-founder and President of K2N Crest. “Our most recent new hires allow K2N to continue to maintain high levels of service as we engage with a growing client base and participate in more expansive projects.” Kyle A. Cunningham attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he earned his Master of Architecture-Structures Option. He is an experienced project manager who previously provided asset and construction management support to a large, regional real estate development company. An engineer-in-training at K2N […]