How Expansion Joints Can Protect Your Home and Building

Expansion joints are used to keep parts of a building together. They allow for safe expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, as well as vibrations caused by seismic activity and ground settlement. They also help prevent cracks and noise from affecting the building. This article will discuss how expansion joints can protect your home and building.

Building settlement

Settlement joints, or expansion joints, are the gaps between the parts of a building. They are important to avoid uneven settlement. The main causes of uneven settlement include structural form, complex planes, and connecting parts of parts. When a building experiences uneven settlement, it is crucial to use expansion joints to reduce the risk of a collapse. The width of these joints depends on the building’s height and foundation condition.

These joints are usually created in a straight line, and placed according to the recommendations of a structural engineer. The space between the bricks is then filled with a polystyrene spacer, which separates the mortar and allows it to expand. Once the walls are plastered, the polystyrene spacer is cut back a little and filled with a flexible sealant. If the expansion joint is causing a settlement crack, a filler or paint is used to fill the crack.

Noise absorption

Expansion joints can significantly reduce noise levels. In fact, the noise reduction can reach 15 dBA! However, there are some limitations. These limitations are due to the materials used. The following are the acoustic properties of various materials that are used to cover expansion joints. Weighing up the different options can help you choose the best one for your home.

Rubber strips made of recycled tires can effectively reduce noise from expansion joints. They have optimal sound absorption properties around 630 Hz. This view it compound reduced maximum band-limited noise by 3.2 dB and dissipated 50% of joint noise energy.

Antivibration

Antivibration expansion joints are designed to reduce the sound and vibration caused by pipes and ducts. These joints absorb dilatation movements and are suitable for exhaust combustion lines, heat exchangers, cooling water networks, steam generating systems and inlet filtration devices. They can also be used on rotating machines. They are available in a range of materials and can handle a wide range of load levels.

There are two main types of expansion joints. The first one is the universal type, which consists of two bellows that are connected by a center spool piece. This type has a wide range of convolutions, which is useful for absorbing forces and avoiding structural damage. The other type is the external pressurized type, which uses a pressure chamber and has a self-draining convolution. Both types of expansion joints must be installed properly with guides and anchors.

Crack prevention

The expansion joints of a building are designed to allow the structure to expand and contract naturally, which is why they must be protected. If the space between expansion joints is too large, a building is at risk for cracks and breaks. In addition, structures that have openings are more susceptible to cracks than other parts of a building, so the expansion joints around these areas should be properly supported.

The most common type of expansion joints used for residential homes are slab joints. They are designed to absorb vibration, contraction, and expansion caused by ground settlement. While expansion joints are essential for minimizing the movement of concrete, they are not sufficient to prevent cracks from occurring. As a result, crack repair is more expensive. Moreover, a crack in the expansion joint may be more difficult to repair than one that is caused by shrinkage.

Watertightness

Watertightness of expansion joints is critical for the longevity of a building. If the expansion joints fail, water can penetrate and cause interior damage, structural damage, and mold and mildew growth. As such, expansion joints should be inspected annually to ensure that they are still functioning properly. Failed waterproofing can lead to major leaks and expensive repairs. Often, openings between two building structures are too wide and require more than just caulking to keep water out.

The proper installation and design of expansion joints is critical to the durability of the structure. Improperly installed or fabricated joints can lead to costly problems. Ensure that watertightness of expansion joints is maintained by properly protecting them with a suitable cover. A good example is the Area Safe Expansion Joint Cover. This cover does not provide waterproofing, but it does protect the joint from UV rays and physical damage.