MONTREAL PYRITE DECONTAMINATION CONTRACTOR
Les Services de Béton Universel Ltée wishes to advise you that pyrite decontamination should only be left to qualified Montreal concrete repair contractors.
Pyrite is a natural occurring mineral which is present in all types of rocks. Because of this reason, it is not unusual to find pyrite in concrete. Pyrite when exposed to oxygen oxidizes, which leads to a brownish colour stain on the building rocks. This weakens the building material and can lead to collapsed buildings.
Pyrite is also known to release sulfite which when mixed with water forms an acid that eats away at the surrounding rocks. Cracks appear at these sites and can destabilize a concrete structure. So, how to tell that concrete has excess pyrite?
Check your property for signs of cracks especially in basement foundations and concrete garages. Bulging floors and whitish particles in the concrete can also be a sign of the presence of pyrite in concrete. These are signs to confirm the presence of pyrite and therefore you need to seek the services of a professional concrete expert to conduct chemical tests on the concrete to tell if the mineral is present.
How to avoid the problem
Prevention is better than cure and so it is best to take measures that will help you avoid getting yourself in greater problems. Consider hiring a Montreal concrete expert who will conduct a chemical test on your building materials to check for the presence of pyrite. Ultimately, you need to spend more but it is totally worth it considering the loss that may come about due to negligence.
You may end up saving thousands of dollars in concrete repair cost if the problem is caught early enough. Worst case scenario is that there can be loss of life due to collapsed buildings. The experts can advise you on where to get building materials that don’t contain pyrite.
What next if pyrite is present in building materials?
Not so many people are aware of pyrite and therefore they go ahead to use the building materials available only to realize later that it contains the mineral. What happens next? You should not despair because this problem can be fixed. It is essential that the Montreal Concrete Contractor identifies areas prone to pyrite and remove the aggregate parts affected. These void places are then filled up using other materials that are pyrite free. There are scenarios where large segments of concrete need to be removed due to pyrite and this can compromise the overall integrity of a building.