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ers and many other aesthetic finishes.
Failures of these membranes due to
age or improper construction will then
cause deterioration of the concrete.
What makes this type of deck even
more problematic is that you may not
even know that the water is causing
problems and when it is recognized
damage may already have occurred
and the source of the water is very
difficult to find without removing large
portions if the top surface.
Another area of common problems
in the building envelope is the roof.
On most high rises the roof is flat
with only minimal slope and can hold
water for extended periods after a
rainfall resulting in moisture infiltration
into the upper floor units and common
areas. Since the roof is easily acces-
sible for ongoing inspections it is
recommended that the roof be visually
inspected on and ongoing basis to
review its condition and perform any
remedial work before it becomes an
expensive problem to correct.
While the above problem areas
only touch on a limited number of
areas, it does show the importance of
ongoing maintenance.
Mechanical Systems
The mechanical systems in a high
rise building are extensive and include
not only the heating and cooling sys-
tems but also the production of hot
water. The systems typically are fueled
by large amounts of electricity and
natural gas which make up a large
portion of the monthly maintenance
THE HIGH RISE...
from page 34.
CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 39