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Re: Question about the garage foundation ...

To: Arvid Jedlicka <arvidj@visi.com>
Subject: Re: Question about the garage foundation ...
From: Pat Horne <pjhorne@mail.utexas.edu>
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 12:29:17 -0500
Arvid,

My first guess - and it is one - is that the blocks that were used were 
not structural concrete blocks, but the type used for block walls.
What is the soil like? Heavy Alkaline? I've never seen this kind of 
damage before, but I imagine that  the concrete could be attacked by  
alkaline substances.

You might want to contact a block manufacturer or distributor and see 
what they have to say.

Good luck.

Peace,
Pat


Arvid Jedlicka wrote:

>A friend called the other day and asked if I would take a look at his garage
>foundation. It appears as though several of the cement blocks has "rotted"
>away.
>
>Starting at the corner of the garage and working horizontally there is
>[suppose to be] a half block and then a full block, then the apron for the
>garage door. The garage wall sits on top of these blocks. However, the bottom
>half of each block is "missing", as though it had rotted away. Digging down
>where the block is suppose to be, I expected to find either another block or
>more likely a concrete footing on which the block had been set, but I found
>neither - just ordinary soil. Needless to say this seemed strange - what was
>suppose to hold that corner of the garage up?
>
>The block that is on the corner seems to be solid, but if we go around the
>corner and start working our way towards the back of the garage, the next
>block looks like it is starting to get a hole in it - again like it "rotting"
>away. The rest of the blocks look good.
>
>Pictures may be worth a thousand words
>
>www.visi.com/~arvidj/images/hole_1.jpg
>
>www.visi.com/~arvidj/images/hole_2.jpg
>
>If you tap on the garage floor in the corner you can hear it change from a
>"solid" sound to a "hollow" sound.
>
>So the questions are (1) what might cause the block to "rot" away? and (2)
>what should he do about it?
>
>Thanks,
>Arvid






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