1. INTRODUCTION........................................

1. INTRODUCTION............................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
2. DEFECT NO. 1 – TIMBER DECAY (WET ROT) ......................................................... 4
2.1 Property Description......................................................................................... 4
2.2 Description of Defect and identification of the symptoms ................................. 6
2.3 Investigation of Defect...................................................................................... 8
2.4 Diagnosis of Defect .......................................................................................... 10
2.5 Remedial Treatment of Defect.......................................................................... 12

1. Introduction
This is a defects diary it will look at three different defects Annalise them and say what is the
case of the defect and how to fix these defects. The defect diary is basically looking at some
defects affecting the building structures. The diary will deeply give the analysis of each type
of the defect showing clearly the part that is affected. In the same case, the diary will focus on
some of the effects caused by the defects and some of the mechanisms which can be taken for
the purpose of solving them (Daw, and Davenport, 2016 p.83).
1.1 Defects Found in Commercial Buildings
There are a number of sources of a defect these can be things such as rainwater, vibration,
surface water, condensation, loadings, ground movement, corrosion, fungal attack or
anything that causes problems with a buildings fabric. In regard to the structures which are
affected by the defects, it is true that some of these defects are caused by a number of
sources. One of the causes is acidic rainfall. The rain which is composed of the acidic
compound brings about the corroding effects on the building materials and the side wall of
the building. Some of the chemicals in the rainy specifically the acid rain causes the defects
on the building structures (Josephson and Hammarlund, 2018. p.681). Other defects on the
buildings such as the cracks are basically caused by the vibration of the earth surface. This is
most profound in the areas with some moving objects such as trains, roads or industrial
regions causing the vibration of the earth surface. Surface water capillarity is another cause of
the corrosion of the building structures (Sharma and Richards, 2017. p.175). The surface
water raises the building wall through the capillarity process and therefore causing the
damping effects on the walls of the buildings. Fungal attacks are another causative of the
defects in most of the building structures. The wall area attacked by the moths and this leads

to the damping looking condition of the wall. The defects in the building walls cause the bad
looking of the buildings (Qiunan and Yongxing, 2014, p.3518).
1.2 Brief & Scope of Inspection
On some defects where possible voids were opened and defects were checked with others this
was not possible open or invasive investigation was carried out it must be appreciated that
certain defects may be present, but could not be decisively identified. The defects were
observed in some of the building structures and identified for better analysis. The
photographs were able to be taken illustrating clearly the defects in most of the building
structures. The effects of the defects were clearly observed through the keen analysis of the
photos taken (Park and Krishnamurti, 2015 p. 15-25). The photos illustrated some of the
defects observed such as Dump by leek caused by the leaking roofs during the rainy season.
Some area were not inspected of the same defects but the effects on other parts drawn a
conclusion that the same areas were as well affected by the defects.
2 Property Description
The Kimble building is a 1800s three story building. The building is situated in Dundalk
town centre. It is not a protected building as originally suggested by the owner and a building
contractor who worked on it, but on further inspection and correspondence with the Louth
County Council and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (N.I.A.H.), it was found
the building was not protected but was of historical significance so would need to be
approached with care. Originally the building was the old main office for Fyffes bananas.
The site has car access to the back and also street access to the front as well as a large carpark

that can be accessed across the road.The building comprises a downstairs arcade, middle
floor workshop and offices. On the second floor there is a small head office and a large open
plan office. At this moment in time the top two floors are undergoing some renovations but
are still in use while these renovations are taking place. To the back of the building there is a
yard with some old ruins of buildings. The building which was under observation of the
defects was the Kimble building. This building is a three-story building which was basically
approximated to have been constructed in the 1800s. The building is located in Dundalk
town center. Based on the property features, it is anything but an ensured working as initially
proposed by the proprietor and a building temporary worker who took a shot at it, yet on
further investigation. In the basis of the correspondence with the Louth County Council and
the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (N.I.A.H.), the building was discovered it
was not secured but rather was of verifiable essentialness so should be handled with careful
consideration (Hänninen, 2011 p.449). Historically, the building was the old primary office
for Fyffes bananas. The site has vehicle access to the back and furthermore road access to the
front and a substantial carpark that can be gotten to over the street. It is a well-structured
building from which it has a first floor arcade, center floor workshop, and workplaces (Van
Roosmalen and Cordfunke, 2011.p.212). Looking at the second floor, there is a little head
office and a substantial open arrangement office. As of now in time the main two stories are
experiencing a few redesigns yet are still being used while these remodels are occurring. To
the back of the working, there is a yard with some old vestiges of structures. The defect
which was discovered in this side of the building is a Knotweed as clearly seen in the photos
taken. The defect affects the back parts of the building specifically the windows at the back
parts as well back top parts. The wall of the build is as well affected by the black mould
(McAlexander, Schouten, and Koenig, 2012 p.38). This makes the wall to appear to be
having the black patches of clustered at a distance making the face of the wall look bad.

Another defect is found at the roof affected by the leek of the roof. This causes the damping
effect on the roof resulting to poor looking roofing region. Other parts affected by the defect
are on the wall of the back part of the wall (Rognebakke and Faltinsen, 2010, p. 158).
Generally, the location of this defect is at the back of the building it stems from the ground to
the second floor window from the outside but in fact the defect is most apparent on the
second floor at the window (Price, 2012. p. 125).
Defect title: Knotweed
2.1 Location of defect
The location of this defect is at the back of the building it stems from the ground to the
second floor window from the outside but in fact the defect is most apparent on the second
floor at the window. The knot weed is located in window and upper parts of the back region
of the building
2.2Description of the Defect and identification of symptoms
On inspection of the building from the rear of the building there is weeds growing through
the wall at the window sill (as shown in fig1) this has caused significant cracking on the
second floor around the windows (Fig2) this will also cause problems within the cavity and
can case cracking in the brick work and around other areas within the cavity. This cracks
around the window range from around 1mm to up to 7mm with some brickwork in very bad
condition. Internally there is no cracking that can be seen. This is not a localised problem it is
in different areas of the building this is most likely knotweed it is a common problem across
Ireland and can grow in many different areas.This can also cause foundation problems but
this is not visible on this defect at this stage but if the problem proceeds this could be the

case. Based on the investigation done over the building, it has been seen clearly that rear wall
of the building. The back of the working there is weeds becoming through the divider at the
window sill causing critical splitting on the second floor around the windows. This will
likewise cause issues inside the depression and can case breaking in the block work and
around different regions inside the crack (Maerz, Blossey, and Nuzzo, 2015 p.2901). This
break around the window goes from around 1mm to up to 7mm with some brickwork in
terrible condition.
Figure 1: Knotweed defect 1
Inside there is no splitting that can be seen it becomes is certifiably not a confined issue it is
in various parts of the building this is in all probability knotweed it is a typical issue