Maintaining your building’s facade is crucial to preserving its cosmetic appearance and structural integrity.
Damage and staining that might seem superficial at first can quickly spiral into more severe damage if left unchecked.
Why You Shouldn’t Put Off Facade Maintenance
You could be playing a risky game by putting off your building’s facade maintenance. Building facades must be inspected and cleaned every 1-5 years, depending on location, weather, and environmental elements.
Delaying maintenance can cause seemingly harmless cosmetic problems to spiral into serious structural damage.
Turning what could have been relatively inexpensive routine maintenance into expensive reconstruction costing thousands more than it ever needed to.
Buildings often become neglected because building managers either don’t know where to start when it comes to properly maintaining their buildings or they haven’t found a trustworthy abseiling service that they want to work with.
One of the best ways to demystify the process is to learn the signs and symptoms of what type of maintenance your building needs so you can make the most educated decision.
Signs To Look For To Determine Your Building’s Facade Needs
Depending on the materials of your facade, you should look out for these major symptoms of required repair to help preserve your building’s value in the long term.
- Stains and discolouration – Stains on the facade could indicate mould, mildew, or other contamination on the exterior. If this is present near cracks and gaps, it could spread to the building’s interior.
- Cracks or chips – Look for signs of cracks and chips on concrete facades as well as material surrounding the base of your building. Buildings settle over time which can cause this. But it also might be symptoms of larger issues. So if you see these signs, it’s best to schedule an inspection.
- Efflorescence – White powdery salts on the surface of masonry. Caused when moisture is present behind the wall and is drawn through the pores of the masonry. Evaporating on the surface and leaving salts behind. This could be a symptom of water penetrating the facade and might be causing unseen damage.
- Fading or peeling paint – All paint has a natural life span. Some longer than others depending on the conditions they’re subject to. Cracked and peeling paint means you’re overdue for a new paint job and are at greater risk of water damage.
- Internal water damage –Staining and mould present on the internal walls of your building could mean there are gaps in your facade, allowing water to enter the building.
Choose An Abseiling Company For Your Facade Maintenance
After assessing what kind of repairs and maintenance your building might need, the next step is to contact an abseiling company for a quote and inspection.
When it comes to choosing the right company for the job, you need to consider 2 main factors:
- Experience – Facade maintenance can require many different types of service. This includes painting, waterproofing, cleaning, joint sealing, caulking, and structural inspection. These services require specific training and tools that not all companies have. Make sure to check with the company to make sure they can handle whatever problems that might come up.
- Safety Record – Abseiling is an extremely safe trade. And a strict standard of safety procedures keeps it that way. It’s not hard to imagine what could go wrong when you have a crew of workers hanging from the top of your building. So ask the company you plan to hire what their safety protocols are and how they intend to carry them out. And always make sure that your company is carrying insurance.
How to Plan For Facade Maintenance
When it comes to abseiling work, safety is the number one concern.
You can begin the process by informing all residents, workers, and clients interacting with your building about the scheduled maintenance.
Encourage everyone to close all windows and secure any loose objects near them that could interfere with work.
You should clear the area around your building to ensure that no pedestrians will be present under the workers during the maintenance. Although not very common, High rise work always carries risks like facade material breaking off and falling and tools coming loose.
Clearing the area ensures everyone will be safe during worst-case scenarios.
How to Create A Schedule For Future Facade Maintenance
After your facade maintenance has been completed, it’s a great idea to consult with your company about a future maintenance schedule. Now that they’ve worked on your building, they will have unique insight into your building’s needs and how best to plan for the future.
Your building should be inspected every 1-5 years depending on several factors including:
- Location – The location of your building will affect your maintenance schedule. For example, buildings in urban areas will be subject to more air pollution and can require additional cleaning. Buildings near the ocean will be at higher risk of corrosion.
- Weather conditions – Conditions like temperature, sunlight exposure, wind speeds, and rain will all affect how important different maintenance activities are for your building. For example, waterproofing will be a much higher concern in areas with heavy rainfall.
- Building design – The materials in your facade will also impact your maintenance schedule. Buildings with large windows and glass will likely require more frequent cleaning than a building with more masonry.
- Building use – Maintaining the curb appeal of your building can be a high priority based on the nature of your building and business. Maintaining a neat and clean exterior is especially important for buildings like hotels which need to make a great first impression on hundreds of people all day long.
- Maintenance history – The age and service history of your building will impact further maintenance. Both new and old buildings have their unique aspects to bear in mind. New buildings will experience foundation settling over time, which leads to cracks and gaps in the facade. Old buildings will experience fading paint and possible metal corrosion.
Conclusion
After reading this guide, we hope to have demystified the abseiling service process for you and help you confidently schedule your maintenance.
You shouldn’t let apprehension stop you from keeping up with your maintenance since it’s far better to maintain and repair minor cosmetic damage instead of letting it grow into larger structural issues.
Proudly serving Eastern Suburbs, Western Sydney, and Sutherland Shire area for over 15 years, Sonaa Abseiling Service can handle all your high-rise building maintenance needs.
Using the highest safety standards and the latest technology, our skilled workers keep your hotel, office, and residential buildings in top-quality condition.
So if you’re ready to hire an abseiling company you can trust, contact us today!
