Five Potential Signs The Building You Are Living In Is About To Collapse

The numerous building collapse which has been occurring overtime in Nigeria has become a reason for great concern.

The recent collapse of a three storey building, in Ebute Metta has once again awaken the fear plaguing the hearts of Nigerians concerning their safety.

Below are some signs that a building might collapse soon.

Moisture penetration: This occurs when moisture enters a building through faulty rainwater protection equipment or infrastructure.

There are certain parts of a building that have been structured to resist moisture and they are the ceiling, the interior of the walls, and the floors. So when these parts are wet it is a sign of impending building collapse.

Bad Foundation: If your floors are out of level or appear to be sagging, bowing or dipping, this means the foundation of the building you are in has a bad foundation and might indicate an impeding building collapse.

House Movement: Buildings are not designed to move. They do not have legs. If they do this is a sign of an impending building collapse.

Cracks in the wall: Major cracks in the wall is a red flag and a reason to start considering moving to a new apartment.

Causes of cracks in the wall include ground movement (beneath foundations) caused by clay shrinkage, landslip, vibration, subsidence, settlement, heave, sway, and so on. Foundation failure due to the decay of soft clay brick, concrete erosion due to chemical contaminants, and so on.

Dilapidation: This means that the lifespan of the building is coming to an end and is approaching a condition that no longer makes it habitable. Such conditions of a building may occur due to various reasons like natural decay and aging, inadequate maintenance, use of underspecified materials, and bad workmanship.