
Wall Tie Replacement: How Often Should You Inspect Your Brickwork?
Wall ties keep the inner and outer parts of the brickwork in place. These metal connectors can be found within the cavity walls. However, these parts start to corrode over time. To ensure they are in a good position, it is essential to check them at regular intervals. Following an inspection, experts may recommend wall tie replacement in Hampshire when they are beyond repair.
Things to Know About Wall Tie Inspection and Replacement
Inspection Frequency
According to the general guideline, it is better to inspect the wall ties every 15 to 20 years. Therefore, you must inspect the property if it was built before 1980. However, some of the properties may require more frequent checks than others. If your home becomes exposed to the air pollution or coastal air, it may corrode quickly than others. Previous repointing or poor-quality mortar may hide damage. It is for these reasons that you must call the experts to inspect the location properly. One of the prominent indications of wall tie failure is visible cracking and movement.
When you purchase an old home or plan to renovate it, an expert suggests inspecting the ties. Properties built before 1985 require inspection every 5 years, as they can become susceptible to coastal weather and exposure to the elements due to their orientation. If your home was built between 1985 and 2000, an inspection every 7 to 10 years is sufficient. These properties usually experience retrofitted insulation and damp. Post-2000 construction must be inspected during major events, such as renovations and subsidence, to ensure compliance with regulations.
Warning Signs
During the inspection process, the expert uses a Boroscope camera or a metal detector to determine the current condition of the wall ties. They usually look for some signs such as corrosion, spacing issues and wall movement on occasion.
Experts monitor the horizontal cracks along the line of the wall ties. Building brickwork can cause trouble over time. Misaligned door and window frames are also a sign of issues underneath. Loose mortar and bricks may lead to tie repair or replacement services. Now, stainless steel ties are used, which corrode less than other materials.
Diagnostic Technique Used
Experts are using a combination of data-driven technology and forensic expertise for wall tie diagnostics. There is no need to look and guess any more. The process of taking measurements and scanning typically follows regulatory standards to create a report, assuring insurers and lenders.
Modern tools, such as metal detector scanning, thermal imaging, and Boriscope cavity explorations, are used for wall tie inspection. Mapping the tie placement, the motion detector finds whether there are missed, corroded or weak ties. On occasion, there may not be any damage to the fabric. If there is any moisture ingress, cold bridging, or hidden decay, it can be found easily through thermal imaging. Boroscope cavity exploration allows for optimal visual proof with minimal access to the cavity contamination and tie condition.
When experts from Davies Pointing Services determine that your property is at risk following an inspection, they may offer wall ties replacement in Hampshire to restore the property’s condition. Please call or contact us to learn more about our services.