A good-looking parking structure is great for a first impression. Unfortunately, parking structures see some of the worst damage and are in the greatest need of repairs.
Vehicle traffic, moisture, temperature changes and naturally-occurring road salts can seriously impact the structural integrity of parking structures that aren't enclosed — and even some that are.
There are two common problems that parking structures can experience.
There can be structural deterioration of the metals that are embedded in the concrete, which can lead to corrosion. This corrosion can cause concrete to expand, crack and loosen, which leads to concrete breaking or the creation of potholes. Concrete shifting due to changes in temperature or the natural shrinkage process can also result in cracks, which can lead to problems of its own as well as speed the corrosion process.
Parking structure maintenance isn't just a matter of making sure your business looks nice; damage can be costly and even dangerous. This is why maintenance managers should develop and revisit plans for parking structure inspection and maintenance.
Protecting your investment comes down to three things: inspecting your structure, maintaining and repairing it, and protecting it from future damage.
Inspections
Depending on the condition of the parking structure and whether it's been inspected before, it should be inspected every two to three years in order to develop a repair program or update an existing one. The inspection could be a full visual one to check for damage, or it could involve more detailed processes like structural analysis and concrete sampling and testing.
Routine inspections will also help make sure that any repairs or protective measures you've put into place are still in good condition. Your seals and waterproofing can't very well seal out what they're supposed to if they're not working properly, and a trained eye can help you figure out if something needs to be improved before it comes a bigger problem.
While intermediate inspections could be conducted by in-house teams, property managers should still schedule formal engineering inspections every few years to make sure every part of your parking structure is working effectively.
Maintenance
It's best to take care of any potential problems before they get too big and expensive to manage. An engineer can help you determine where to inspect and what needs maintenance, but it will come down to making sure that vulnerable areas are protected and smaller repairs are made.
Once your inspection reveals areas of delaminated or spalled concrete or other places that need patching, repairs can begin. Parking maintenance teams will identify the location of the broken concrete and repair the surrounding area as well as areas underneath exposed and damaged reinforcing.
They will then clean the exposed areas of any corrosive material and coat them so they don't sustain further damage. Once this coating is cured, the cracked area can be repaired with concrete or something else to help ensure that any further damage slows down.
Protection
It helps to avoid damage before it begins, which you can do by taking steps to protect the lot itself.
Cracks and joints in the floor that aren't sealed can let in the moisture and chlorides that cause damage to concrete and the metal embedded inside. Thus, it's important to make sure these openings are sealed and that the seals are inspected on an annual basis to make sure that they remain effective.
A protective waterproof coating on the floor of your parking structure can also limit how much damage the concrete sustains and make sure there's as much time between necessary repairs as possible, which can save you money.
By following the above advice, you can ensure that your parking structure leaves the right impression on your customers.
