APC Academy - Building Pathology Flashcards
How do you record information during an inspection?
Using the following:
Notepad & Pencil
Sketch Drawing
Dictophone
Camera
What can be the causes of dry rot/wet rot?
Water ingress, penetration or free moisture unable to evaporate in the airs temperature.
How would you recommend rectifying this?
Effect the required repair, implement rapid drying and ventilation through heating and opening windows and determine the extent of the outbreak.
What can be the causes of cracking in an external wall?
Settlement Differential Settlement Subsidence Heave Cavity wall tie failure Calcium silicate brickwork Regent Street Disease Shrinkage
How would you investigate this further?
Borescope cavity wall inspection
Trial holes to determine the condition of strata
Visual inspection of boundaries
Can you identify different sources you may use to assist you with diagnosing the cause of a defect?
Tell tales
Calipers
Glass tell tales
All to determine whether the movement is live or historic.
Describe 4 different types of damp and differences in diagnosis.
Penetrating Damp - From roof damage, gutters overflowing.
Rising Damp - Due to capilary action and rise of ground water through pore structure of brickwork.
Condensation - Internal water vapour issue
Traumatic Damp - Burst pipe, damp staining.
What set procedures did you undertake when carrying out the dampness surveys in Glasgow?
On receiving instruction carried out desktop survey to determine the age of the building, construction type and reviewed existing drawings.
Once onsite carried out survey in stages.
Stage 1 - External, Surrounding Inspection, Internal
Stage 2 - Inspection using moisture meter
Stage 3 - More detailed inspection using other instruments, hygrometer and wall thermometer.
Stage 4 - If required disruptive or opening up required.
Can you talk me through the detail contained within your reports in order to substantiate your findings?
Report focused on the external/internal observations and relationship between moisture readings obtained and how to rectify the issues.
What steps did you take prior to visiting a property?
Desktop assessment reviewed information provided by client.
Arranged access and determined that safe access could be given.
Can you give me a specific example of a time when you have consulted with other sources to confirm your findings??
Have appointed structural engineers on behalf of clients in a number of project. For instance 62 Glenapp Street when pattress plates to the gable elevation appears to have moved from the face of the wall.
Describe the typical signs of wall tie failure, explain causes and describe remedies?
Horizontal cracking at every 6 courses. Bulging in wall
Internal cracking
Causes: Corrosion of wall tie and resultant expansion of tie causing cracking to mortar bed and brickwork.
Not laid plumb or incorrect install.
Remedies: Removal of defective ties and install mechanically fixed ties, resin grouted.
Describe Japanese Knot weed, identification issues and remedies?
Hollow stem with purple raised nodes and large broad leaf (heart or shovel shaped) with cream flower.
Controlled Waste under the Environmental Act 1990. Must not disposed of at licensed site. Can cause significant damage to buried services, drains, boundary walls.
Remedies: Chemical Treatment Excavation Biological Treatment (pest) Onsite Burial.
How does a protimeter work and how is a calibrated for different materials?
Electrical moisture meters send an electrical current between two metal probes which are inserted into the wall either on the surface or via deep probes. They are calibrated for 150 species of timber and will give relative readings on non timber materials.
What do the lead codes mean?
Thin codes are used typically for flashings while thicker codes used for area of resting water.
