June 2018
Parking garages are typically concrete and steel structures which provide space and shelter for vehicles. They are subject to wear and tear from regular use and environmental stresses.
Vehicles that enter the garage leave behind oil, water and various contaminants. They track in salt and de-ice products during winter months. These products can corrode a parking garage structure.
Water can infiltrate from outside into a parking structure causing further damage.
Brown & Beattie is an engineering company specializing in building restoration and improvement. Jeremy Nixon, P. Eng., BSSO of Brown & Beattie Ltd., advises that “Regular maintenance can mitigate these factors by keeping water and corrosive materials away from the steel and concrete. When warning signs of damage are ignored and proper maintenance is not undertaken, problems become more serious and repairs more costly.”
Signs of parking garage degradation:
- Ponding water inside the garage
- Expansion joint failure
- Damaged, spalled or delaminated concrete
- Leaks
- Exposed steel
Proper maintenance will extend the life of your parking garage systems and likely defer the need for more costly restoration.
