Structures to Keep an Eye on This Summer for Heat Damage
Texas summer heat has its own schedule, as we all know, yet the New Yorkers and Californians relocating here are just starting to figure it out. With the spike in heat and no drop within the grasp of the coming weeks, heat damage is at the brink of every home not being carefully watched. When living in Texas, there are many structures where the heat may affect your property. In this article, we will discuss a few tips and structures to keep an eye on during these extreme heat temperatures.
Retaining Walls
Retaining walls are structures that hold or retain soil behind it. They range in size from small terraces to hold a yard to large walls to hold up a steeper slope. Retaining walls are made of many materials, including concrete blocks or slabs, wood, rocks, and boulders. Because Texas has such volatile weather including droughts, severe cold snaps, and sudden microbursts, our soil is prone to cracking and moving. We all know what happens to your home foundation when extreme heat strikes, and because retaining walls are similar materials, they can crack, crumble, and fail. This is dangerous as rocks and dirt can hurt people and damage your property. A large rockslide can be devastating.
Sidewalks
During a hot Texas summer, sidewalks have the potential to crack in extreme heat. Whether it’s your walkway or home or building’s foundation, concrete can be a concern when high temperatures arise. Heat causes the soil to contract, which in turn can cause damage and crack to surfaces like concrete. During extended heat waves, cracks can form and spread if left unattended. That’s why regularly checking for signs of damage is crucial when preserving your concrete during the summer.
Monument Signs
Whether your monument sign is fully concrete or contains some metal or acrylic elements, all can fall prey to extreme heat in the summer. As with retaining walls and sidewalks, keeping an eye for cracks in the base and surrounding areas of the signage is key to preventing further damage as the summer progresses. Gaps in brick and rock can also begin to form, putting the structure at risk for more damage.
Acrylic pieces within monument signs are a bit different than structural damage. One key issue to look for includes trim caps in channel letters that will break down over time with exposure to heat. Warping and discoloration are also very common with acrylic signage and few preventative measures can be taken aside from purchasing replacement pieces ahead of time to swap when the heat damage is highly noticeable.
Texas heat can cause havoc in places that you least expect it! When it comes to walls, sidewalks, and signs the best defense is early detection. It’s best to have a professional assess and repair any damages caused by the high heat. Contact us today for a maintenance inspection or if you see any signs of damage on your property. Here at Classic, we offer free inspections of your commercial and residential properties to look out for the early signs of damage and fix them quickly.