Structural Damages – Signs You Should Expect!

When maintaining your commercial building, responsibilities such as maintenance and repair are inevitable. This monthly practice is to prevent significant structural damages that can affect your facilities and your way of living. Dealing with substantial difficulties might be a hassle for you. It could cost you more money on extensive repairs, which is why it is better to check your establishment for minor ones regularly. Here are some common problems in your establishment’s structure that you shouldn’t ignore.

1. Ticking Doors

After installing new doors in your building, the professionals will usually check the door by opening and closing it to identify if it can move swiftly. If your functioning doors suddenly experience malfunctions, this could be a sign of structural damage. Check for any additional indications of a structural problem, such as a diagonal crack in walls or uneven floors in the area. However, sticking doors doesn’t always indicate structural damage; sometimes, it means that the builder didn’t properly install your door.

2. Plumbing and Electrical Problems

These two systems in your building are probably the essential part that you should never disregard. A plumbing problem can tentatively cause water damages that can cost you thousands of dollars, and issues with your electrical system might start an unwanted fire. These systems are behind the walls of your establishment, so it is best to install fire-rated stainless steel access panels so that it can be easy to identify minor problems with them. When checking your plumbing systems, be sure to keep an eye out for instances such as low water pressure, dripping faucets, and unusual increase in water bills. If you observe things like flickering or dimming lights, call your local electrician as early as needed.

3. Roof Problems

Minor roof problems can most likely turn into huge issues that can cost you a lot of repairs. So make sure to assess your roof constantly. Missing shingles can let water in and injure the structures underneath, and a small leak can rapidly grow and cause lots of water damage in your establishment.

4. Mud Tubes

These mud tubes may go unnoticed in the exterior part of the foundation of your establishment, passing through the soil to the sill plate. Mud tubes may be harmless, but this is an excellent indication that termites are destroying the foundation of your place. If you have noticed mud tubes in your establishment, better call the termite inspector to have them eradicated.

5. Bouncy Floor

This issue should not be left unattended since the floors should always feel solid. Bouncy floors may be associated with unmatched floor joists or trusses. If the base of your establishment just started feeling bouncy after years of feeling sturdy, something must have changed with the floor’s structure. This sign could be a damaged joist, delaminated subflooring, or even be a foundation problem.

6. Foundation Cracks

It is usual for establishments to experience cracks since concrete is exceptionally rigid. This issue is prevalent a year after construction. Perpendicular hairline cracks are less concerning than other types of damage because these are usually normal and rarely identify as an issue. You have to look out for huge cracks, especially if it is more prominent at one end than the other or run obliquely from the foundation. This instance could indicate a structural problem. Foundation repairs are often very costly the more prolonged the damage, so it is best to repair it as early as possible.

Maintaining the longevity of your establishment will always be our primary goal as an entrepreneur. Therefore, you should not disregard the minor issues mentioned above. These tips are for you to avoid unwanted accidents that can potentially harm your occupants and prevent costly repairs. It is always better to perform preventive measures than to regret in the future.

In case you need more information about structural design and structural damages, feel free to contact us!

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