Millions of homeowners in the UK are suddenly discovering that they need to add another item to their list of maintenance to their homes – that of wall ties. If you own a home in Eastbourne, chances are that you have never heard of wall ties, but you may be one of many people who suddenly find that an inspection and possible repairs are necessary. If you live in a home constructed during the last century, you could find that your house was built with the cavity wall system. What this means is that you have a double layer of walls around your home, with a cavity between the walls. The design is very effective as a means for keeping out the cold, aided by the air trapped in the cavity. The two walls were held together by a series of strategically placed ties that were generally made of metal. Needless to say, metal corrodes and has a limited lifespan, and this is why so many homeowners are suddenly finding that they have an important structural issue on their hands.
What steps should you take to check on your wall ties?
For a start, you may find that you don’t have a cavity wall system in your home, and thus you don’t have a problem. If you do, and if your home is several decades old, you would be advised to arrange an inspection. There are companies that specialise in this field, and they know exactly what to look for. They will probably begin by looking for cracks and bulges in your walls that could signal wall tie failure. Once they’d completed an eternal inspection, they now need to look at the actual wall ties themselves, and thus will need to locate them.
As most wall ties are metallic, surveyors tend to use metal detectors to find them. Once found, it’s necessary to drill a hole in order to complete a visual viewing. Most surveyors will use an instrument known as a boroscope that will allow them to see the wall tie clearly. You can click here to know more.
Getting a surveyor’s report
This is where things could become a little cloudy. There is no doubt that wall ties are vitally important to a structure, as they are literally providing support to the outer wall, which could be seen as a slightly weak skin. If there’s clear evidence of mortar cracking and shifting and of wall bulging, replacing wall ties soon could save money on more expensive structural work in the future. However, some surveyors might give you an acceptance report, while others will produce one which fails your wall ties. This is when you would need to ensure that the inspector is using guidance issue by the Building Research Establishment, as the different classes of corrosion of wall ties are clearly set out.
Arranging for an inspection of wall ties in your Eastbourne home might save you money in the future. Contact Cavitytech Systems Ltd, who have expert staff available to assist you.