Parapet and Fire Wall Deterioration
Parapets are the portion of exterior walls that extend above the roof level. Parapets are exposed to the weather on both faces and, thus, are often prone to accelerated weathering and deterioration. It’s not uncommon to see parapets that are not properly secured to the roof structure and have deflected out of plane.
Parapets that lean toward or away from the building should be evaluated in detail. Without proper maintenance and necessary repairs, severely distressed parapets could eventually collapse.
Depending upon the severity of the deterioration, repairs of parapets can range from tuckpointing of the mortar joints to providing additional back bracing to the roof structure. In the most severe cases, it may be necessary to completely rebuild the parapet wall with steel reinforcing bars dowelled into the structure below the roof line.
