In Barcelona, the humid climate and the age of many buildings favor the appearance of cracks. What starts out as an aesthetic issue can become a serious safety problem if not addressed in time.
When a crack in the facade allows water to enter or continues to grow as the months go by , it is paving the way for leaks to the interior, rusting of internal reinforcements and, finally, the dreaded detachment of debris onto the public road.
In homeowners' associations, the warning usually comes when a neighbor suffers stains of humidity near the window or directly on seeing fragments of the coating falling. Detecting it early makes the radical difference between an economic maintenance and an important spill .
Why do cracks appear on facades
Exterior walls are not static elements. They undergo continuous stress for different reasons:
- Thermal shocks: Expansion in summer and contraction in winter cracks the coatings.
- Humidity and rain: The water that penetrates and evaporates destroys the mortar from the inside.
- Settlements: Natural movements of the ground on which the building sits.
- Aging: Loss of elasticity in expansion joints or old paints.
Warning! Signs that you should not wait any longer
- The crack is more than 1 millimeter wide.
- White spots (efflorescence) appear around the crack.
- The crack "sounds hollow" if you tap gently nearby.
- Extensive "spider web" cracks appear (risk of detachment at placa).
Symptomatology: What am I facing?
Depending on the type of damage, the solution varies drastically. See to identify the severity:
Capillary fissures
They are very fine, like hairs. They affect only the paint or surface layer. Treatment relatively simple and preventive.
Structural cracks
They follow the contour of the bricks or cross beams. Require urgent technical study and possible structural stitching.
Cracks in balconies
They appear on the lower face or slab faces. Very dangerous because they warn of rusting of the inner reinforcement.
Spalling
The coating explodes. It occurs when the armor is already rusted and has increased its internal volume .
Doubts about the severity of your cracks?
Send us a photo by WhatsApp and a specialist technician will review your case on the same day, without obligation.
How we repair cracks using vertical works
The advantage of using rope positioning is that we can perform surgery on the affected area almost immediately.
Manual sanitation
We chop and remove all loose or poorly adhering material around the crack until we find a firm and sound support.
Treatment of reinforcement
If we find rusty metal rods, we clean them by mechanical brushing and apply rust passivators.
Sealing and rebuilding
We rebuilt the volume of the wall with R4 structural repair mortars, without shrinkage or other suitable compounds.
Waterproofing
Finally, we matched the texture to the rest of the facade and applied waterproofing acrylic coatings .
Table of actions
| Façade pathology | Recommended intervention | Level of urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Surface cracks and paint cracking | Cleaning + Sealing + High elasticity painting | Under |
| Crack between window and frame | Perimeter sealing and polyurethane sealing | Medium |
| Mortar buckling on contact | Forced chipping of the area, remediation and reconstruction R4 | High (Falling) |
| Bare and rusted armor | Chemical passivation of the iron + Total reconstruction | Very High |
Frequently Asked Questions
In Barcelona, punctual repairs of cracks and chipping that do not modify the general aesthetic or volumetric are usually processed through a mere "Assabentat" or communicated minor works. It is an agile procedure. We take charge of orienting to the community with the permissions.
If the repair is localized, installing scaffolding makes the budget very expensive (road occupancy fees, equipment rental, assembly...). The vertical works allow 2 technicians to descend and repair the crack in one morning, reducing costs drastically.
Insurance normally covers the DAMAGE caused by the leak (painting the neighbor's roof ), but excludes the repair of the facade. It is considered a lack of preventive maintenance, unless it is aesthetic damage resulting from a major loss. Consult the policy.
