What is a Wall Tie Survey?

There is a chance that you are contemplating what a survey of your wall tie is and why you might require one, or you might be asking yourself the meaning of a wall tie in the first place… that is either scenario, before we get into Wall Tie Surveys the basics, let’s go over the fundamentals…

What exactly are Cavity Wall Ties?

Wall ties are the unnoticed metal elements between cavity walls. They are incorporated inside the wall in the building process and are a crucial component in the stability and security of the cavity wall.

Wall ties are used to join the internal leaf and the external one, which refers to the two parts in a cavity wall. they extend across the cavity and join the external and internal walls of blockwork or bricks to each other, locking them on the mortar. The wall tie is a crucial element in the strength and stability of the wall the cavity wall ties act as the necessary ‘lifeline’ to what could otherwise be an unstable and unsteady structure instead, they connect the two leaves making a single unit. They also stop water from flowing from the outside to the inside of the leaves.

Now that we have a fundamental knowledge of cavity wall ties as a whole and we can move forward…

What is a Cavity Wall Ties survey?

The wall tie survey may be described as a survey for specialists, that is where surveyors trained in the field assess what the wall connections installed within the structure are effectively tying the two leaves and are serving their intended purpose.

Why do you require the Cavity Wall Tie Survey?

In older homes, tie made of metal may rust and long be able to perform their work effectively, placing danger to the structure and is known as wall tie corrosion. If corrosion of the wall tie is suspected that it is a problem, a survey of the wall tie could be an extra measure to see whether there is a problem.

In older structures constructed in cavity with wall ties in the ties made of iron is inevitable as is the durability of ties based on the type of tie’s coating along with the chemical process that could cause corrosion, especially for houses with cavity wall insulation because it traps moisture and water. For instance, the this kind of corrosion can happen in walls that are more exposed to the elements. The existing connections must be addressed as continual corrosion could cause structural damage to structures. The corrosion could cause expansion of the metallic encased within the leaf on the wall. While a sudden failure is unlikely to occur, it is sensible to address the issue after noticing the problem as it can alter the value and potential of the house. If the system is identified before damage has advanced to a significant degree, the walls can be addressed instead of being replaced. Insufficient ties within the wall’s cavity significantly decreases the strength and strength of the wall. its resistance to winds is reduced and the possibility of failure due to the cause could be a possibility.

Corrosion of the wall tie usually suspect when there signs of movement within the structure. This could manifest as cracks in the wall an incline, or other signs that indicate the wall tie is not functioning properly. The issue could be discovered by the homeowner or, more often, an issue raised by an expert surveyor.

What exactly does a cavity wall tie report involve?

The process of conducting the wall tie survey typically will take between one and three hours after the surveyor arrives. The exact amount of time can vary on several factors such as whether the cavity has cavity wall insulation or if the building is being rendered.

When you arrive at your home, the surveyor for your wall tie will perform an external assessment of the property to determine the presence of the presence of a cavity wall, and in the event that there cavities wall insulation along with constriction details, as well as whether there are any flaws found on the property like signs of movement in brickwork or cracks that are staggered or step. The next step, which is the use of a metal detector to identify where the wall ties for cavity walls are located within the structure and building. After locating them the surveyor will then create an inspection hole, or take out bricks, if necessary, near each wall tie that they want to check, which permits the surveyor to utilize borescope. The borescope comes with a viewing window, which means that the surveyor will be able to look at the ties inside the wall cavity and decide whether they’re in good condition or not. In the beginning, your surveyor will examine the condition of the wall tie to determine if they’re failing, based on the degree of corrosion, ranging from shiny to rusty, or perhaps detached. Other elements, like imperfections in structures, kind of wall tie and if there are sufficient wall ties in place along with cavity wall insulation be a factor in your surveyor’s assessment of the condition of your cavity wall tie.

Problems with visibility, typically due to the insulation of the cavity walls, can cause a more extensive procedure to be employed for the survey of the cavity wall to permit the surveyor to view the wall tie in full instead of just via the borescope.

If you’re in need of replacing your wall tie after locating the old ties with an electronic detection device the next step is replacing a suitable repair fixing that is resistant to corrosion and then the isolation of the original ties to stop any further damage to the exterior leaf.