Causes and concerns of concrete cancer defect.
Concrete cancer defect. Identified by Peter Weddell, owner/operator of Qld Home Buyers Inspection Service and Queensland Building Inspection Service, QBIS.
Concrete cancer (proper terminology is spalling).
Probable causes of defect:
- Concrete cancer-spalling (in this particular case) a garden beds were against external brick walls of the house. With constant watering of the plants (from a timed watering system) this increased the spalling over a much shorter time frame.
- Most common cause is from seepage through the concrete causing rusting of reinforcing that expands and causes fractures and eventually exploding of the concrete.
Important notes:
- Spalling can be a common problem in buildings that are situated close to the ocean.
- Concrete cancer can be very costly to rectify!