Concrete Repairs Archives

parking garage maintenance, parking garage cleaning

Keeping It Clean: The Complete Guide to Parking Garage Maintenance & Sustainability

Posted on October 21, 2024 by anthony@the-robinson-agency.com

Parking garage maintenance is more than just keeping the structure clean. It’s about ensuring people’s safety, preserving a building’s aesthetic, and reducing costs while increasing the likelihood of return visits. The parking garage is your visitors’ first point of entry, from businesses to healthcare facilities, public buildings and more. You only get one chance at a first impression.

To ensure your parking garage cleaning services are optimal and sustainable, it’s best to take a data-driven approach to how often you should clean while being cost-effective and proactive. This guide will walk you through our recommended approach for your parking garage maintenance and how to identify the problems neglect can cause that professional cleaning can fix.

The Basics of Parking Deck Maintenance

Maintaining a parking deck starts with addressing daily use, fluctuating temperatures, and weather, all of which can damage the structure and compromise safety. Recognizing these challenges and implementing protective measures ensures longevity and security for users.

Environmental & Structural Challenges

De-icing salts during the winter, leaking oil fluid from a faulty oil filter, and carbon from vehicle exhausts can all weaken the concrete and structural elements, like steel reinforcements bars, necessitating regular through cleanings. Scheduling parking garage cleaning services, including regular pressure washing, helps to eliminate the contaminants vehicles track in, so that your parking garage will be functional for years to come.

The Financial Benefits of Regular Parking Garage Maintenance

If you want to extend the lifespan of your parking garage, allocating budget towards your parking garage maintenance is critical. This will ultimately save you money in the long term by preventing major damage and ensuring your parking area remains safe and functional no matter how busy it becomes.

Extending the Lifespan of Your Parking Deck With Preventative Maintenance

A parking garage’s aesthetic is a clear indicator of its health, and the right cleaning techniques can have a direct impact on extending the lifespan. A multi-story garage may suffer damage due to chloride buildup from road salts. Without regular cleaning, the salts can cause serious corrosion, leading to broken post-tension cables and delamination of the concrete slab, which can become major safety risks for tenants and visitors. Fortunately, a regular cleaning schedule with a meticulous provider like Valcourt can lead to those structural issues being discovered and brought to the property manager’s attention for repairs. Regular pressure washing can also help remove those harmful salts and contaminants, extending the garage’s lifespan while also making it look healthier.

Cleaning strategies should also factor in unique climate conditions. Coastal garages, like in Florida, are more prone to sand and water being carried in, so they require frequent sweeping, vacuuming, and pressure washing of the floors and drainage areas to preserve the aesthetic and make sure water can drain effectively from the garage. Garages in dry areas, like Arizona, may need regular cleaning and inspection to spot any cracking due to thermal expansion. Parking garage cleanings assist in detecting any damage early, and ultimately help avoid high-cost structural repairs.

Safety and Aesthetics – Why Cleanliness Matters

Parking garage cleanliness is about more than just about structural integrity. The pristine and professional aesthetic of well-maintained parking decks helps make people feel safe and comfortable, creating an inviting space for visitors. Regular maintenance also prevents hazards, like oil slicks or debris, while promoting a well-lit, orderly environment. This fosters trust and leaves a lasting impression on your visitors and tenants that can to a long way.

Impact of Cleanliness on Safety

The National Crime Victimization Survey notes that more than 1 in 10 property crimes occur in parking lots or garages. Maintaining your parking garage can help curb this trend. Proper lighting has not only been shown to reduce nighttime crime by up to 36% by giving the perception of safety by eliminating dark hiding spots for criminals, but it can also help visitors see spills, debris, or anything that can cause them injury.

Ensuring signage, mirrors, and stairwells are visible and functional will lower the risk of traffic collision by eliminating blind spots and helping visitors navigate around safely. Cleaning pipes and eliminating grease that’s built up from vehicle traffic can keep essential fire safety devices, like ventilation and fire suppression systems, from being clogged when they’re needed. All in all, regular parking garage cleaning can mitigate liability from any accidents, help you meet compliance requirements, and save money in fines.

First Impressions & Customer Retention

A sense of calm and trust usually comes over most visitors and tenants when they enter a well-maintained, clean parking garage because it’s their first impression of a business. The attention to detail conveys a level of professionalism and care.

Key Components of an Effective Maintenance Program

A successful parking garage maintenance program hinges on understanding the right frequency of service, applying proper techniques, and adhering to environmental standards. To make your parking garage cleaning more effective, follow these five keys that we recommend every facility manager to implement immediately:

Frequency of Cleanings: The frequency of the parking area cleaning depends on the garage’s climate, traffic, and time. Garages in temperate areas like Los Angeles need annual cleanings, while those in humid regions like Miami require semi-annual cleanings. You can also regularly clean throughout the year by focusing on one floor at a time if that works best for your schedule. Adjustments should be made based on vehicle traffic and weather exposure.
Cleaning Techniques: Pressure washing is ideal for removing grease, oil, and de-icing salts from large surfaces. Using a big ride-on scrubber can also help with cleaning large areas, helping visitors and tenants to navigate parking areas safely and efficiently.
Environmental Compliance: Follow the EPA’s Clean Water Act by reclaiming water used during cleaning to prevent contaminants from entering the draining system and avoid fines.
Safety Protocols: Conduct a pre-service risk assessment to identify areas to block off and protect workers and visitors. Document the cleaning process to comply with safety regulations and ensure accountability so nothing gets lost in translation. To minimize disruptions for tenants and visitors, schedule cleaning during low-traffic periods, and provide clear signage that lets people know where and when cleaning will be done.
Choosing a Vendor: Select a vendor with strong safety management, experience in customizing cleaning schedules, and an excellent track record. Using a single vendor streamlines operations, ensures consistency, and provides a single point of contact for your property’s cleaning needs.

Transform Your Parking Garage by Selecting the Right Maintenance Partner

Routine parking garage cleaning services impact more than just parking—they enhance safety, save building owners significant costs in the long run, and keep visitors comfortable with returning. Regular cleanings can also extend a parking garage’s lifespan by decades by making issues visible early.

Valcourt’s attention to detail with its parking garages cleaning services will make all the difference on the health of your parking garage. We’re well-equipped to handle any mess with our specialized pressure washer equipment, perfect for commercial garage cleaning services.

We also practice sustainable cleaning and ensure that your parking garage issues do not affect the surrounding environment. Our instant wastewater recovery system prevents cleaning chemicals and debris from entering local waterways, while also reusing the water after oil and sediments are internally removed.

We customize our cleaning services to fit your unique needs. Here are a few of the comprehensive parking garage cleaning services we offer:

Pressure washing facades, vertical and flat surfaces
Debris and cobweb removal
Detailed cleaning of pipes, mirrors and stairwells

A well-maintained parking garage can be a factor in your business’s success. Request a quote today to take the first step in transforming how people interact with your business.

Why Façade Safety Repairs are Crucial for Building Integrity

Posted on May 6, 2024 by a1_admin

Fissures and cracks are whispers from your building’s façade, warning you it’s time to take action. Those whispers can quickly turn into roars if not addressed appropriately. What is your building’s façade telling you? Early detection and mediation of façade safety repairs can save hundreds of thousands in future repair costs and help you avoid potential liabilities. This article will guide you through why routine maintenance and quick remediation of façade safety repairs are the not-so-secret ingredients in preserving your building’s structural integrity.

Is Your Building’s Façade Unsafe?

Unlike your car, your building doesn’t come with a check-engine light. For this reason, to quickly identify façade safety issues, we recommend routine inspections and assessments. Many cities mandate façade safety inspections. The building’s height, age, and construction types all factor into the requirements.

More importantly, passing an inspection doesn’t remove liability from the building owner should part of the façade fail. For this reason, we suggest inspecting your façade at least 2-3 times per year. Emergency façade safety repairs are safety concerns on the exterior of the building that need to be fixed ASAP. Examples include a window mullion dangling off the side of the building or loose stone/stucco/EIFS or architectural elements on the building walls. Items will eventually fall off the building or permeate into other structural elements that jeopardize the entire building’s structural integrity.

For example, despite passing inspections in 2022, a building in Willmington, North Carolina, suffered a façade collapse, causing damage to cars and awnings and minor injuries to one individual.

Three years after initial reports of façade failures, a building partially collapsed. Despite safety concerns, no further inspections occurred, and repairs were never completed, citing COVID for the delay. This reinforces the need to address façade failures when they occur and develop a proactive approach to maintaining a safe façade.

Why Façade Safety Repairs Are Not Just Cosmetic

Your façade is critical to upholding your property’s value, but the benefits extend beyond aesthetics. A well-maintained façade provides energy efficiency, promotes safety, and is your first defense against the elements.

Recognizing the Signs of Facade Deterioration

Many factors determine what to look for, including façade material, building design, façade access, and environmental conditions. For these reasons, the more you understand your building’s unique needs, the faster you can spot building façade safety issues and how to remedy them.

Concrete: Cracking and spalling, stains, peeling, cracking, blistering, or pinholes.
Brick, Masonry, & Stone: Cracking and spalling, stains, rusting, loose mortar, or biological growth.
Balconies & Decks: Standing water, cracks, rusting, damaged coating, loose railings, rot.
EIFS and Stucco: Blisters, bulging, staining, loose stucco, or surface damage.
Curtain Wall: Loose or missing gaskets or mullions.

These are the more obvious warning signs your building façade needs emergency attention. Without immediate repairs, façade damage poses a risk to public safety from falling items that could lead to injuries or worse. In addition, neglect will drive more extensive measures for repairs and can result in violations or fines.

The A1 Approach to Façade Safety

At A1, we recognize that the façade of your building plays a crucial role in its overall safety and structural integrity. With decades of industry experience, our approach to façade safety centers on prevention, maintenance, and stringent inspections. These skills allow our expert teams to identify early signs of deterioration, such as cracking, spalling, or other structural weaknesses. With A1, you have a partner you can count on to maintain façade safety.

Emergency Façade Repair in Action

Quick action by the property manager at The Water’s Edge at Rahway allowed for rapid balcony restoration, sealant replacement, and EIFS repair. Our sister company, Valcourt’s, ProXpress team began with a full assessment to investigate the damage. The work involved removing portions of the damaged façade and replacing the railing. The result? A return to manufacturer’s standards and appealing aesthetics with minimal disruption to residents.

When an apartment complex in Philadelphia began experiencing leaks, they called on the ProXpress team for rapid leak detection and repair. The team quickly identified the cause of the leak and began carefully removing layers of brick and debris to replace the membrane and flashing. Next, they took preventative measures to divert water before replacing the brick to match the building’s exterior.

A1 is committed to maintaining the highest standards of façade safety. We provide comprehensive solutions that fix existing problems and take proactive measures to enhance your building’s resistance against future façade damage.

Comprehensive Façade Safety Repairs

Regarding façade safety repairs, it pays to act fast. Minor façade issues grow in scope, cost, and risk when left untreated.

We offer peace of mind, knowing that your property is in expert hands and protected against current and future challenges. Contact us today and see how we can collaborate to address all your façade safety repair needs.

Why Does Concrete Crack and Spall, and How Can It Be Prevented?

Posted on March 5, 2024 by a1_admin

Concrete, the backbone of modern commercial properties, is revered for its strength and durability. Yet, despite its robustness, concrete is not immune to the phenomena of cracking and spalling.

Both cracking and spalling are signs of deterioration and critical concerns for a building’s structural integrity and aesthetics. While both may initially seem minor, they can lead to more severe issues if left unaddressed. This article explores the causes and implications of these common issues, offering insights into preventive measures and repairs.

What are Concrete Cracking and Spalling?

In the lifecycle of concrete structures, two prevalent issues are cracking and spalling, each signaling different underlying problems but often interconnected in their effects on a building’s health.

Concrete Cracking is a common occurrence that can result from several factors. Unlike spalling, cracking refers to forming fissures or lines on the concrete surface, which can vary in depth and length.

Concrete Spalling, on the other hand, goes beyond surface-level deterioration. It involves the breaking off or flaking of concrete surfaces, often exposing the reinforcing steel bars beneath. When this happens, it can lead to accelerated corrosion of the reinforcement and further compromise structural integrity.

Concrete spalling and cracking can arise from various sources:

Water Ingress and Freeze-Thaw Cycles – Moisture penetration, followed by freezing and thawing, can cause the concrete to crack and eventually spall.
Settlement – Uneven settling of the ground beneath the concrete can create tension, resulting in cracks.
Overloading – Exceeding the weight capacity of the concrete can cause cracks due to excessive stress. The toll that much heavier electric vehicles take on parking garage structures has the potential to shorten the lifespan of the concrete.
Shrinkage – Concrete requires proper oversight during the curing process, or it can shrink, leading to the formation of cracks.
Quality of Materials – The integrity of concrete heavily depends on the quality of its constituent materials. There have been lawsuits because a supplier allegedly omitted a critical chemical additive from their concrete mix. The omission of such additives can compromise the concrete’s resistance to environmental stresses, leading to premature cracking and spalling.
Improper Installation – Flaws during construction, like inadequate curing or improper mix proportions, set the stage for future problems.
Chemical Damage – Harmful chemicals, like chlorides from de-icing salts, can corrode the reinforcing steel and cause the surrounding concrete to spall.
Environmental Factors – 2023 was officially the warmest year on record. Extreme temperatures can reduce concrete strength and increase permeability, contributing to spalling and cracking.
Water Ingress – Moisture penetration, often through cracks, leads to deterioration and rusting of reinforcement bars.

Recognizing the signs of both allows for timely intervention and prevention of further damage.

Identifying Signs of Concrete Damage

If spotted in time, recognizing early signs of deterioration can lead to interventions that prevent minor issues from escalating into significant, costly repairs. Here’s what property managers and building owners should look for:

Flaking – A clear sign that the concrete surface is deteriorating, potentially exposing the underlying steel reinforcements.
Cracks – Thin lines or wide fissures on the concrete surface. Cracks are not just surface-level concerns; they can indicate deeper structural issues.
Exposed Reinforcement Bars – When reinforcement bars become visible, it suggests that the concrete has spalled significantly, which could accelerate the corrosion of the steel and compromise structural integrity.

Valcourt’s Approach to Concrete Maintenance: A Case Study

The top level of both parking structures at Park 80 West, approximately 12–15 years post-initial construction, suffered from a deteriorated waterproof coating—a maintenance step recommended every five years.

This neglect led to significant concrete spalls, cracks, and severe water infiltration, necessitating immediate attention before completing the restoration. Our sister company, Valcourt’s, comprehensive services for this project included concrete spall and crack repair, traffic-bearing waterproofing membrane repair, and the restriping of parking spaces.

Preventative Measures and Solutions

Property managers should incorporate routine checks into their maintenance schedules, focusing on areas susceptible to damage, such as exposed surfaces, joints, and areas with known water penetration issues. Inspections should also be more frequent following extreme weather events, which can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities in the concrete.

To mitigate the risks of concrete deterioration, consider implementing the following strategies:

Sealing and Waterproofing – Essential for protecting against water infiltration and subsequent corrosion.
Pressure Washing and Debris Removal – Keeps surfaces clean and exposes hidden issues.
Regular Structural Assessments – Identifies potential problems before they worsen.
Proactive Maintenance – Including vigilant monitoring for leaks or structural damage.

Preventative maintenance, followed by early detection and prompt repair actions, can significantly extend the lifespan of a concrete structure and ensure its safety and functionality. Property managers and building owners are encouraged to partner with concrete repair specialists like A1. We can provide expert assessments and waterproofing services and tailor effective repair strategies to address your concrete cracking and spalling issues.

A Proactive Approach to Concrete Maintenance

The integrity of concrete structures significantly depends on regular maintenance and the early detection of potential issues. Property managers can substantially extend the lifespan of their assets by understanding the causes of concrete cracking and spalling and implementing preventative measures. For specialized care and repair, partnering with experienced professionals like A1 ensures that commercial properties remain safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing.

For expert concrete maintenance and repair services, contact A1 to help ensure your property remains in prime condition.