With the arrival of the winter season, the syndicate and its co-owners must keep in mind some important points regarding ice removal and snow clearing on unit balconies in co-ownership buildings.
On the subject of ice removal, building experts agree that the use of salt or calcium to de-ice surfaces of concrete balconies has its consequences. The use of these products, as well as the freeze/thaw cycle of cause a superficial crumbling of the concrete surface. Thereafter, water soaks into the upper layer of the concrete, causing a progressive bursting of the surface. With time and successive winters, the concrete disintegrates, even to the point of corroding the reinforcing steel rods within the slab. In serious cases, the reinforcing steel will be affected to the point that it results in weakening of the reinforcement and the slab.
Consequently, in the case of concrete slabs, and not one made of fibreglass, the syndicate and its co-owners may want to think twice before de-icing. Of course, we can't expect this structure to have an unlimited lifespan, but the fact of avoiding use of this kind of product to remove ice will help the syndicate avoid in the short and medium term, to avoid spending considerable sums of money for major repairs, or the complete replacement of these portions. In practically all cases, these are common portions common of restricted use according to the terms of the declaration of co-ownership. A consequence of this classification is that they are fundamentally common portions of the building, and are covered by the syndicate's contingency fund.
As for snow clearance on the balconies, it must be first understood that the main reason why syndicates ask co-owners to clear the surface of snow, is to ensure the safety of the occupants in the event of fire. The firefighters must be able to reach the balcony and the balcony door leading to the private portion in case of fire. Moreover, residents must be able to reach the balconies in the event of a fire, which could be difficult when the latter is covered with snow and ice.
The engineers and the architects participating in building construction take into account the load factor on the structure caused by snow accumulation during the winter season. Engineering and architectural principles take into account the Canadian climate and involve complex calculations to ensure that the structure of the balcony can support the weight of accumulated snow, even when the balcony isn't regularly cleared of snow during the winter season.
However, when in doubt, consult a building professional, such as an engineer or an architect, especially if you have doubts about the solidity of the structure because of a lack of regular maintenance or, quite simply, because of its age.
A prudent syndicate will notify its co-owners to use care when clearing snow from balconies and will give important guidelines on the best place to dump the snow. The co-owner shouldn't be allowed to shovel the snow as he or she sees fit in order to prevent snow shovelled from the balconies on the higher floors from falling on those from the lower ones, and to avoid injuring the other co-owners. When in doubt, the syndicate should determine the method to be used, and in certain cases, have snow clearance on the balconies carried out by a qualified firm with liability insurance covering it against damage to the building, or bodily harm to the co-owners.