What Is Building Maintenance? Defects & Remedial Measure

“Building maintenance is a method to protect the building and the different components of the building so it gives its serviceability during its entire life span.”

The following is the building maintenance checklist,

Routine cleaning of the home.
Repairing defective plaster.
Repairing of cracks.
Repairing the floor.
Painting of walls.
Painting of Door and Window.
Cleaning of drainage and repairing it.
Anti-termite treatment.
Repairing of water supply fittings.
Change the old electrical equipment like a switchboard, switches, tube lights, and wirings.

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Defects in Building

I. Defects in Plaster

1. Blistering

Swelling of some portion of the plastering surface. When moisture is able to seep through the wall, it can push your plaster forward, causing a small bubble in the material known as blistering.

building maintenance — **Blistering Defect**

2. Cracks

Small cracks are formed on the plastered surface. These cracks can be hairline cracks that are difficult to notice, or they can be wider cracks that are easily seen. The development of fine cracks is known as crazing.

The formation of cracks on the plastered surface can be caused by many reasons like thermal movements, discontinuity of surface, structural defects in the building, faulty workmanship, excessive shrinkage, etc.

3. Efflorescence

Efflorescence is the formation of white patches of soluble salt formed on a plastered surface. This defect occurs on the plastered surface when soluble salts are present in plaster-making materials as well as building materials such as bricks, sand, cement, etc. Even water used in construction work may contain soluble salts.

When a newly constructed wall dries out, the soluble salts are brought to the surface and they appear in the form of a whitish crystalline substance. Such growth is referred to as efflorescence and it seriously affects the adhesion of paint with the wall surface.

Efflorescence can be a reason for the bad appearance of walls and can be removed to some extent by dry-brushing and washing the surface repeatedly.

What is Building Maintenance? Defects & Remedial Measure — **Efflorescence**

4. Flaking

Flaking is the formation of a small loose mass on the plastered surface is known as flaking and it is mainly due to bond failure between successive coats of plaster.

5. Pilling

A Pilling defect occurs when the plaster from some portion of the surface comes off and a patch is formed. Pilling is formed mainly due to bond failure between successive. coats of plaster.

Remedial Measure

Improve the quality of construction work.
Use the class A bricks in the construction.
Avoid the use of salty water for the plastering.
The efflorescence is removed from the brick before starting the plastering work.
The bricks are properly wet before use in the construction of the wall.
The curing of the plastering surface is properly done after the plastering is completed.

II. Dampness in Building

The main reason for the dampness is the water comes from the ground and the water comes from the outer surface in the form of rain etc.

Another reason is sometimes the workmanship is poor so the pot is created on the floor surface of the terrace, so the rainwater or the sprinkling water is stored on it and this water has penetrated the slab and it causes dampness in the ceiling of the house.

Defects of Dampness

Due to the salt present in the water, white spots are created on the wall or terrace.
1. The steel used in the construction, corrosion starts.
2. The decay of the wood, which is used in the windows and doors, cupboards, flooring, etc.
3. Plastering work is defecting from it.
4. Flooring marble or the flooring tiles are damaged from it.

Remedial Measure

To protect the groundwater the DPC work is done with good-quality concrete.
To protect the groundwater bitumen or asphalt is used at the plinth level.
Hollow brick masonry is useful to protect rainwater.

III. Termite Attack

Termites are the biggest enemy of wood. It decays the wood. So to protect the building or structure from the termite there are two steps

Treatment of the soil present at the construction site
Treatment of the building after the construction

1. Treatment of the soil present at the construction site

Anti-Termite Treatment of Soil — What is Building Maintenance? Defects & Remedial Measure 11

The soil treatment is done with the help of the anti-termite chemicals that are present in the market.
The chemical dissolves in the water and the spray on the soil at the plinth level.

2. Treatment of building after construction:

Treatment of the floor in the house with the inject method.
Spray the chemical on the wood.
Apply the chemical to the doorframe.

Read More: 17 Tips For How To Reduce Construction Cost

VI. Leakage on Terrace

If the water is stored on the terrace then provide proper leveling.
The waterproofing work does on the terrace floor.
To repair the pipelines which are leakage.

Repairing of Flooring

If some portion of the flooring work is damaged then remove that portion properly and then compaction properly. After the compaction applies the new layer of mortar and fits it again.

Importance of Building Maintenance

Due to weathering effects like rain, wind, and dampness, the temperature and the life span of the building are reduced. So maintenance is required.
To provide good service during the entire life of the building, maintenance work is required.
Maintenance is required to protect the damage to the building by its daily use.
Provide strength to the weaker part of the building.
To maintain the appearance of the building.
To reduce the accidents in building due to defects.