Maintaining multi-million-dollar parking garages can be a daunting task for building owners and their facility managers.

Western Specialty Contractors has made it easier to identify and track problem areas within parking structures with its free downloadable visual guide and checklist, "How to Take the Guess Work Out of Your Parking Garage Inspections."

Parking Garage
Jennifer Beidle Communications

Available for free download at https://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, including 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 Western Specialty Contractors St. Louis Concrete Restoration Branch Manager Carter Pogue.

The guide includes a list of simple questions and check boxes to help facility managers identify damage to each component of a parking structure, plus 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 that can be 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.

Western Specialty Contractors' Recommendations

A concrete maintenance and restoration specialist such as Western Specialty Contractors is recommended to confirm problem areas and hazards within the garage and recommend a repair plan and maintenance schedule that 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 the Western Specialty Contractors branch location nearest you, visit https://www.westernspecialtycontractors.com/western-locations/.