Block Wall (CMU) Scans
Without proper grouting, concrete walls can be dangerous and unsound!
Do you know if your walls are structurally safe?
Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU), also called block walls, are everywhere - in buildings of every kind, size, and shape. After the CMU wall is built, it can be painted or it might get a brick facing or a stucco finish. It's almost impossible to "see" any structural integrity issues at this point!
Concrete block walls are not structurally sound without proper rebar and grouting. Grouting is concrete that is pumped into the center of the blocks; this ties the blocks, the rebar, and the entire wall system together. Without proper grouting, concrete walls are dangerous.
If voids are present in the grouted cells, they can reduce the structural capacity of the systems and, in the case of reinforced masonry, can limit the effectiveness of the steel reinforcement. These voids often collect water, leading to interior damage and corrosion of the reinforcement. Today, infrared technology is the best tool for the surveying of a masonry wall to find deficiencies in the structural components. It's a fast, inexpensive, and accurate method of quality control of grouted masonry.
In the past, the only way a building owner could tell if quality work was done was to drill or hammer holes into the concrete wall, or to take x-rays. Of course, this only gives you a small sample size - which means you could have massive structural integrity issues only a few feet away from the hole! The most popular way to make sure that grouting and rebar in place is to require the builders to install an inspections port, cut into the block faces. This is a very costly, time-consuming and sloppy method.
3 Benefits of Commercial Thermal Block Wall Scans
Properly done, a thermal block wall scan:
• Is non-destructive
• Will inspect and verify proper grouting or pinpoint areas of missing grout and insulation
• Will ensure proper location of structural components
Buying or Constructing a Building?
If you are buying or building a new commercial building constructed using CMU, a thermal block wall scan is a fast, inexpensive, and accurate method to validate structural integrity and to correct any issues.
Thermography Services
Block (CMU) Walls
