What is the structural integrity of a home?

Structural integrity is the ability of a home to maintain its structure over time, not bending, breaking, or collapsing. A lot more is known about materials and their respective strengths today than was known 20, 50, or 100 years ago.

How do you determine structural integrity?





Structural & Integrity Testing

  1. Surface hardness (rebound hammer) test.
  2. Ultrasonic pulse velocity test.
  3. Electromagnetic cover meter survey.
  4. Penetration resistance (Windsor Probe) test.
  5. Half cell potential measurement.
  6. Concrete resistivity test.
  7. Impulse response test.
  8. Impact echo test.

How do you measure wall integrity?

A surface penetration radar survey. Fiberscope inspection. Sprayed fire-proofing material compatibility test. Water tightness test on windows, precast panels, curtain walls, etc.

How do I know if my house is structurally sound?

Top 8 Signs of Structural Damage in Your Home

  1. Cracks or Bulging on Walls and Ceiling. …
  2. Soil Pulling Away from House Walls. …
  3. Cracks in Chimney. …
  4. Uneven Gaps on Windows and Doors. …
  5. Sagging, Sloping or Cracking of Floors. …
  6. Sagging Roof and Roof Leaks. …
  7. Damp Subfloor. …
  8. Crumbling Concrete/Brick.

Who can assess the structural integrity of a house?





structural engineers

To break this down further — home inspectors look at the overall picture of the home, while structural engineers zero in on specific structural issues. They look at the building’s foundation, beams, or investigate further if anything’s signaling that the property’s structural integrity is at risk.

What is structural damage to a home?

Structural damage is defined as any damage that compromises or affects the core integrity of your home. This includes the foundation, walls, roof and load-bearing walls. When structural damage occurs, the structure itself may be no longer able to support the house. Your home may be in danger of collapse or failure.

What is structural integrity of concrete?

Structural integrity is the ability of a structure to provide continuous load paths from the roof down to the foundations as well as comprising a complete lateral force resisting system which is able to resist the code-defined forces*, all with adequate structural strength.