If cement begins to peel off the roof or wall of a house, exposing the internal steel reinforcement (RCC), this problem should not be ignored as a minor inconvenience. Often, concrete deterioration occurs due to moisture, water leaks, and rebar corrosion. If repairs are not carried out in a timely manner, the situation can worsen. In such cases, simply applying a new layer of cement on top is not enough; it is necessary first to understand the cause of the cement peeling, the degree of rebar corrosion, and the scale of the concrete damage.
If the cement layer on the roof falls off, revealing steel rods, the cause may be moisture, a water leak, or a defect in the concrete itself. The first step should be to inspect the damaged area. If the concrete is weakened or the reinforcement is rusted, the damaged concrete must be removed according to an engineer's recommendation, the reinforcement cleaned, and necessary protection provided. After that, a special repair mortar can be used for the repair. If the roof is sagging, there are large cracks, or large pieces of concrete are falling off, a specialist should be called immediately, and people should be prohibited from being under that area.
In many residences, dampness appears on the ceiling above the bathroom. This can be caused by a leak in the pipe above or water penetration through the floor. Constant moisture leads to the deterioration of the concrete, and gradually reinforcement bars begin to appear. In this situation, it is critically important first to locate and eliminate the source of the leak. Then, the damaged concrete and reinforcement must be checked to carry out the repair. Simply applying paint or cement to a damp area will not solve the problem permanently.
On the edge of a balcony, the concrete may deteriorate due to the accumulation of rainwater or constant moisture. Over time, reinforcement bars may also appear here. If the reinforcement is rusting, the concrete can deteriorate even more severely. First, it is necessary to find out where the water is coming from. Next, the damaged part must be repaired, and proper protection against moisture must be organized. If a large part of the balcony is deteriorating or the reinforcement is severely damaged, repair cannot begin without an engineer's inspection.
Sometimes, when plaster peels off a wall, brick or concrete inside can be seen. However, it is important to understand that plaster peeling everywhere does not mean that the RCC reinforcement is also damaged. The cause can be dampness, poor plastering, or water penetration into the wall. If only the plaster is damaged, after eliminating the leak, the damaged layer can be removed and new plaster applied. But if the concrete itself is deteriorating and reinforcement bars are visible, this is a different problem requiring preliminary diagnosis and subsequent appropriate repair.
If a reddish-brown rust deposit is visible on the reinforcement, and the surrounding cement is crumbling and coming out, this requires serious attention. Corrosion can lead to an increase in the volume of the reinforcement, which causes cracking of the surrounding concrete. In such cases, simply covering the rust with paint and applying cement on top is not enough. It is necessary to remove the damaged concrete under the supervision of a specialist, check the condition of the reinforcement, and then, if necessary, perform rust removal, anti-corrosion treatment, and use repair mortar. If the reinforcement has become too thin or its strength has decreased, the engineer must determine the further repair plan.
This depends on the degree of damage. If only minor plaster repair is required, the work can be completed quickly. However, if the RCC concrete is destroyed and the reinforcement is exposed, the repair will take longer. Even after applying repair mortar, time is required for it to properly harden and achieve strength, so one cannot claim that the house can be made like new in one day in any situation.