by Brianna Crandall — February 8, 2019 — Maintaining multimillion-dollar parking garages can be a daunting task for building owners and their facilities managers (FMs). Identifying and tracking problem areas within parking structures has just become easier with this new online Visual Guide & Checklist for parking garage inspections from Western Specialty Contractors, a nationwide specialist in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing for more than 100 years.
Available for free download, the visual reference enables FMs to easily identify and track damage to a parking structure’s main components, including the concrete slabs and beams, support columns, walls, drainage, and expansion and control joints.
Carter Pogue, Western Specialty Contractors, sales/project manager, stated:
Our easy-to-use guide takes the guesswork out of identifying damage and hazards within parking structures so that a routine maintenance program can be established, and the structure can be kept in a safe condition for users.
The guide includes a list of simple questions and check boxes to help facilities managers identify damage to each component of a parking structure, and includes detailed photos of damage such as rust and water stains, exposed rebar, efflorescence, and spalling and cracking so FMs know exactly what to look for.
All types of parking structures — the three most common types being Double Tee Precast, Conventional and Post-Tensioned — are subject to deterioration from environmental stressors, wear-and-tear and deicers tracked in during the winter months, points out the company.
And an ineffective maintenance routine on a parking structure can quickly lead to costly repairs and restorations that can be disruptive to tenants and cause unexpected costs and safety concerns.
Pogue warned:
The damaging and compounding cycle of water infiltration and wear-and-tear to a parking structure never improves on its own, and the longer that warning signs are ignored, the more serious and costlier the repairs can become.
A concrete maintenance and restoration specialist, such as Western Specialty Contractors, is recommended to confirm problem areas and hazards within the garage and recommend a repair plan and maintenance schedule that will:
- Delay or avoid costly restoration
- Decrease liabilities
- Retain ideal parking volume and rates
- Adhere to local permitting guidelines
- Maintain the property’s value
How to Take the Guesswork Out of Your Parking Garage Inspections: A Visual Guide & Checklist is available for free download from the Western Specialty Contractors website.
For more information about Western’s parking structure maintenance program, visit the company’s Concrete Restoration Projects webpage.
