Rope Access and High Rise Building Inspections in Niagara

Regular building inspections, especially for buildings that have public access or multiple tenants, are good to stay informed on what your building needs now and in the future. With harsh Canadian winters, it's important to evaluate your building in the Spring and Summer months to ensure you are aware of any repairs that are of immediate and future concern. For buildings that have difficult-to-reach areas, rope access is a cost-effective solution that allows for a full inspection, including these areas, to take place.

Building Envelope Inspections with a Rope Access Team

A building envelope inspection is a comprehensive evaluation of the exterior components of a building to asses their condition, identify potential problem areas, and provide recommendations for repairs. Inspections usually include inspections of the roof, exterior walls, windows, doors, and foundation for deficiencies and defects. A certified rope access team can easily and safely inspect otherwise difficult-to-reach areas to ensure the inspection is comprehensive. By performing inspections regularly, owners can prevent minor repairs from becoming urgent and costly larger issues.

Specific Inspections with Rope Access

If you have concerns about a particular area of the building that is hard to reach, a specific rope access inspection will clarify your concerns and give you an idea of how urgent and what it would take to repair the problem area.

EIFS Delamination Inspection

Oftentimes, EIFS weaknesses are hiding under a finished layer and difficult to spot from ground level or with an untrained eye. It's important to have an expert team review the EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems) to find ensure the adhesive is still holding strong to the substrate or if it has started to de-bond over time. What may look fine exteriorly could have large sections of the cladding at risk of falling from the building. By sounding the EIFS with a rope access team, we are able to map out even hard-to-reach areas of de-bonding and provide an overall report of the health of the cladding system on your high-rise apartment, condominium, or commercial building.

Anchor Inspections & Pull Testing

In Ontario, adhesive anchors are required to be pull tested every five years either by pull testing/load tests or anchor system inspections. By hiring a trained rope access team, you can ensure that all materials and anchor plans, even those in tough-to-reach areas, are in accordance with sealed engineers’ requirements and in accordance with provincial legislation. We perform anchor installations, modifications and pull testing for all buildings, specializing in high-rise apartments and commercial/industrial buildings and can add additional anchors where required.

Brick, Masonry, and Concrete Inspections

Our specialized high-rise masonry inspections include identifying damages to the masonry or concrete and removing any material that is in danger of falling. We will then provide a detailed report including recommendations for additional repairs. It's important for the integrity of the building and safety of public passing, that the concrete and masonry on the outside of the building is in good condition. In addition to acting as a protective barrier to the weather, when damaged and broken it can cause a serious hazard to occupants of the building and general public.

Sealant Inspections

With sealant playing a larger role in the waterproofing of buildings, regular inspections that reach all areas are important. Our team will identify areas of water entering the building envelope can cause damage to the interior of the building, and also damage the masonry components on the exterior of the building. During the sealant inspection, we complete a destructive pull test on the sealant as recommended by the manufacturer which will provide an honest assessment on whether the sealant is doing its job or if it needs to be replaced. Our pull test is normally conducted on each elevation of the building and a visual inspection of the sealant is conducted over the entire building.

High Safety Standards

Rope access is known for high safety standards and low rates of workplace injuries. The experienced Precision Building Solutions team is fully certified with:

• SPRAT (Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians) Levels 1 through 3 to complete and supervise rope access work

• IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) global certification to complete rope access work

Our Service Areas

Precision Building Solutions proudly services the Niagara/St. Catharines and surrounding areas including Welland, Thorold, Pelham and Lincoln as well as the Greater Hamilton Area, Burlington, and Oakville. We specialize in rope access jobs for commercial and high-rise buildings including apartments, condos, and office buildings.

Get in Touch About Rope Access Work

If you have questions about a difficult-to-access or rope access job, we'd love to help. Simply fill out our contact form or call us at 613-770-7673 and Nelson will be in touch right away.