These are predominantly used in the structural components of the building such as columns, beams and slabs. Any distress observed in such components may indicate loss of strength and therefore, call for 'structural repair'.
This is a common checklist in this category- Cracks / hollowness / dampness in concrete Spalling (local internal separation of concrete ) Falling of cover concrete (surface layer ) Corrosion of bars Thinned / broken bars Deflection / sagging of beam and slab Sinking of column #Walls and plaster: Distress caused by seepage primarily spreads through walls. Watchful occupants can easily locate many from the following list of distress- Dampness or seepage Salty deposits / efflorescence Fungus / plants growing on wall Holes in walls Termites Separation cracks found at the junction of RCC and wall Diagonal ( inclined) cracks near the junction of column & beam Hollow / loose plaster Local absence of plaster Disintegration of mortar between bricks / blocks Sinking of walls on ground floor #Doors / Windows: The checklist in this category commonly covers the following- Decay / cracks and disintegration Termites Distortion of door / window frame Absence of chajja for window Cranky movement of sliding windows #Flooring / skirting: This is a common list in this category- Cracks in tiles Looseness / heaving of tiles Growth of fungus Rough surface ( excessive scrubbing ) Seepage through flooring joints Sinking of flooring on ground floor #Plumbing: Distress in plumbing and drainage are closely related to the sources of seepage of water. Watchful occupants can easily locate many of the observations in the following list – Cracks / loss of joints in the pipes causing leaks Broken / absence of rainwater pipes Absence of vent pipes for toilets Pipes running too close to walls and accumulating laitance Backflow from kitchen / toilet Corroded water supply pipes Broken / uncovered chambers #Toilets and kitchen: Seepage though a toilet or kitchen above can be very annoying. Nevertheless, it is pretty common too. Many of the points mentioned above apply to this category also. Additionally, the following points may also be noted – Leaking flush tank Rotting of door frames Exposure of tile joints Improper sealing of fixtures Distress in RCC loft #Waterproofing: Bad quality of the terrace waterproofing system can cause considerable agony for the occupants of the top floor, year after year. Once seepage from terrace starts, it progressively becomes worse and locating the source of seepage can be extremely difficult. In fact, the sources may be many. Local treatment may not prove to be effective and complete re-waterproofing is expensive. Members should, therefore, look for the early signs of the following points and take an early action on them- Cracks on surface associated with hollowness Excessive roughness of surface Inadequate surface slope Obstructions to flow of rainwater Cracks / blocks at the mouth of rainwater pipe Pipes running too close to parapet walls & accumulating laitance Too few rainwater pipes for a zigzag shaped terrace Improper watta / drip mould at the junction of slab and walls No protective cover on the parapet wall Water tank directly touching the slab. #Miscellaneous: Some of the other watch points are as follows- Leaking water tanks Sagging lift room slabs No paving or rough / cracked paving Cracked / tilted compound wall Broken RCC jail for staircase Corroded electrical conduits Non- functional fire fighting system Rodents (rate) in premises