The Régie du bâtiment du Québec makes a point of reminding the owners and the managers of buildings that vigilance and prevention remain the surest means to avoid a dramatic situation. Let us mention that the owner has the obligation to ensure the safety of the people who live in or visit his buildings.
Consequently, the Régie strongly recommends to set up a program of inspection adapted at the same time to the age of the building, the type of construction and the nature of the observations which are made during visual checks.
Façades and parking lots
Certain indications of deterioration of the façades can be detected by the owner and should indicate to him that a more thorough inspection is necessary. Let us mention, for example, cracks, spots of rust, signs of deterioration on the balconies or of the blocks (stone or concrete) and bricks moved as well as deteriorated joints of the external coating of the building, etc… Moreover, any equipment installed on a façade, must be attached there in a secure way.
In addition, let us recall that the staged parkings are structures exposed to water, the salt of thawing of ice and to moisture which accelerates their ageing. Consequently, these require a periodic and systematic follow-up. An owner of a staged parking, who notices water infiltrations, traces of salt (efflorescences) or reinforcements become apparent, should hire a professional who will indicate to him the necessary repairs to carry out to ensure the safety of the public.
Prevention to minimize the costs
Of course, a routine inspection carried out by the owner largely contributes to the maintenance in good apparent condition of the building. However, as the structure takes age, it is necessary to think of using methods of investigation which make it possible to know the real state of the structure at the very heart of the materials. It is wise to recall that preventive checks carried out periodically by professionals will avoid additional expenditure to the owner for the reparation of problems which will thus be more quickly detected.