What Building Owners Need to Know About Façade and Parapet Inspections

Key Concepts

• Local Law 11 (FISP): New York City's Facade Inspection & Safety Program.
• Parapets: Building components extending above the roofline, highly susceptible to deterioration.
• Freeze-Thaw Cycling: A process where water freezes, expands, and thaws, causing cracking and displacement.
• Rustjacking: The expansive force of corroding steel, which can damage surrounding materials.
• Header Bricks: Bricks that tie walls together, providing cohesion.
• Through-Wall Flashings: Materials that create shear planes in parapets, potentially leading to failure.
• Spandrel Beam: A beam located between windows on different floors.
• Cure Date: The deadline for addressing unsafe conditions identified in a FISP report.
• Cavity Wall: A wall with a hollow space between the inner and outer layers.
• Brick Ties: Metal connectors that tie the brick veneer to the backup wall in a cavity wall system.
• Relieving Angles: Steel angles used to support the weight of masonry in cavity walls.
• Cornices: Projecting decorative elements at the top of a building.
• Outriggers: Structural members that project from a building to support cornices or other elements.

Facade and Parapet Inspections: Critical for Building Safety and Compliance

• Importance of Regular Inspections: Buildings constantly deteriorate, and repairs don't eliminate future issues. A 5-year inspection cycle is appropriate to catch and address deterioration.
• Parapet Vulnerability: Parapets are exposed to the elements more than other building components, absorbing water from multiple sides. Failing roofs or lintels can exacerbate parapet deterioration.
• Consequences of Neglect: A failing parapet can have detrimental effects on public safety.
• Weather Impact: In colder climates like New York City, repetitive freeze-thaw cycles cause cracking and displacement in parapets.
• Structural Failures: Water intrusion into spandrel beams can cause steel corrosion, leading to expansive forces that damage parapets. Many older parapets lack structural ties, making them more vulnerable.

Parapet Conditions and Local Law 11 (FISP) Compliance

• Discreet Failure Modes: Parapets can fail subtly through bowing and bending, requiring an experienced eye for detection.
• Structural Considerations: Structural engineers should carefully examine parapets, noting their interaction and behavior.
• Bonded Wall Construction: Header bricks provide cohesion in bonded walls, but their absence makes parapets more vulnerable to deterioration and separation.
• Through-Wall Flashings: These can create shear planes, leading to easier parapet failure.

Planning for Maintenance and Upkeep

• Comprehensive Approach: Owners should consider a building's repair campaign comprehensively, understanding how different components affect each other (e.g., roof affecting parapet).
• Proactive Measures: Annual maintenance plans are crucial. Simple tasks like caulking copings can prevent significant damage.
• Emergency Repairs: Avoid emergency repairs, as they are more costly and disruptive. Addressing issues early prevents them from escalating.
• Crack Assessment: When cracks appear, determine if they extend through the entire parapet, as this indicates instability.
• Compounding Problems: Hairline cracks can lead to water intrusion, steel corrosion, and further deterioration, requiring immediate attention.

Modern vs. Historic Buildings

• Historical Building Approach: Prioritize in-place repair over replacement whenever possible.
• Material Replication: Replacement may involve replicating materials or using substitutes based on cost and fabrication time.
• Code Compliance: When opening up a structure, address structural ordinance to present-day code standards, which may require additional structure and restoration.

Collaboration Between Structural Engineers and Architects

• Forecasting Conditions: Structural engineers should forecast potential conditions during facade restoration, as probes and drawings are limited.
• Change Order Management: Proactive forecasting helps minimize unexpected change orders for owners.
• Assuming Repairs: Assume some repair is required, even if the exact extent is unknown.
• Educating Owners: Communicate potential unforeseen conditions and the steps taken to address them reasonably.

Trends in New York City Building Regulations

• Cycle 9 (Completed): Local Law 11 required confirmation of brick tie conditions in cavity walls, including frequency and location.
• Non-Destructive Testing: Ground-penetrating radar can supplement destructive testing to locate ties and save on restoration costs.
• Projecting Elements: Cornices with terracotta cladding, waterproofing issues, and steel outriggers are a concern due to limited redundancy. These may face increased scrutiny in future regulations.

Common Questions from Property Owners

• Repair Deadlines: Owners often ask about extending repair deadlines ("cure dates") stated in Local Law 11 reports. Extensions are possible if the condition hasn't significantly deteriorated, but require close-up inspections.

Final Thoughts

• Experienced Restoration Architect: Select an experienced restoration architect for facade restoration campaigns.
• Project Management: Restoration involves managing the project, scoping it correctly, creating allowances, and establishing a quality control process.
• Contractor Selection: Contractors should understand concepts like brick tie spacing and flashing conditions.
• Value of Experience: Experienced restoration architects and engineers can save owners money and ensure quality work in the long run.
• Lowest Price: Selecting contractors based solely on the lowest price may not be the best approach.