As we are heading towards the winter season, property owners in the coastal areas need to beware of spalling danger”, says Buster Armstrong – who is the Sales Manager at R & D Contracting.

Areas with high moisture levels, especially along South Africa’s Atlantic Seaboard and West Coast, with its relentless rainfall, sea spray and high winds, pose a threat to the structural integrity of buildings.

Water ingress can cause more than just leaking and peeling – it can lead to dangers associated with spalling.

Spalling is especially common in the Western Cape due to the high moisture in the atmosphere during the wet winter months. He says a further leading contributor to spalling is the higher salt content in the atmosphere. He says cracks in building structures can often also be attributed to corrosion of the internal steel reinforcing bars.

Spalling is a common maintenance problem and is more prevalent in older buildings. Body corporates, building owners and property managers need to be aware of the dangers of spalling in the Western Cape’s high rainfall, wind, and sea spray regions. If identified and treated, the integrity of the building will remain unaffected. Of course this phenomenon is applicable throughout South Africa.