Since 2013, each building owner must obtain an in-depth inspection report from an engineer every five (5) years establishing that their parking lot does not present any dangerous conditions and, if necessary, issuing recommendations aimed at correcting the problems and defects that may contribute to the development of such conditions.
It is also relevant to mention that less detailed annual visual inspections are also required and must be recorded in a register.
Typically, symptoms that can lead to hazardous conditions include seepage, rust staining, signs of efflorescence, peeling, cracking, warping, etc. Traces of rust are often a sign of the beginning of corrosion of the reinforcements.
When these same frames are visible, this represents another sign to watch for. Also, we know that delamination at the bottom of columns in parking lots is directly linked to the presence of corrosive agents.
During a parking lot inspection, you may be offered a core sample which will allow the quality of your concrete to be analyzed in the laboratory, allowing you to anticipate possible future problems. Coring, sampling and laboratory tests make it possible to evaluate the penetration of chloride ions into the concrete.
Think twice before choosing the option of a no-coring parking lot inspection. It’s often better to know what’s going on where you can’t see, because by the time problems manifest, they are often well advanced.