Maintaining multi-million-dollar parking garages is a daunting task for building owners and their facility managers. Identifying and tracking problem areas within parking structures has just become easier with Western Specialty Contractors’ new online Visual Guide & Checklist for parking garage inspections.
This guide is available for FREE download at online.fliphtml5.com/vvef/bzai/. Facility managers now have a visual reference for easily identifying and tracking damage to a parking structure’s main components. These include the concrete slabs and beams, support columns, walls, drainage, and expansion and control joints.
“Our easy-to-use guide takes the guesswork out of identifying damage and hazards within parking structures so that a routine maintenance program can be established and the structure can be kept in a safe condition for users,” said Carter Pogue, Western Specialty Contractors, Sales/Project Manager.
Features and benefits of the guide
The guide includes a list of simple questions and check boxes to help facility managers identify damage to each component of a parking structure. It also includes detailed photos of damage such as rust and water stains, exposed rebar, efflorescence, and spalling and cracking so facility managers know exactly what to look for.
All types of parking structures – the three most common types being Double Tee Precast, Conventional and Post-Tensioned – are subject to deterioration from environmental stressors, wear-and-tear and deicers tracked in during the winter months.
An ineffective maintenance routine on a parking structure can quickly lead to costly repairs and restorations. These are disruptive to tenants and cause unexpected costs and safety concerns.
“The damaging and compounding cycle of water infiltration and wear-and-tear to a parking structure never improves on its own, and the longer that warning signs are ignored, the more serious and costlier the repairs can become,” said Pogue.
Recommendations are to use a concrete maintenance and restoration specialist, such as Western Specialty Contractors. These companies can confirm both problem areas and hazards within the garage and recommend a repair plan and maintenance schedule.
The repair plan and maintenance schedule will:
- Delay or avoid costly restoration
- Decrease liabilities
- Retain ideal parking volume and rates
- Adhere to local permitting guidelines
- Maintain the property’s value
For more information about Western’s parking structure maintenance program, visit www.
About Western Specialty Contractors
Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects and also property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures and sports stadiums. Western has its headquarters in St. Louis, Mo. It also has 30 branch offices nationwide. Additionally, it employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, you can also visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.
