Is wall tie failure serious?

Wall tie failure can be very costly if not detected and dealt with as early as possible. In its most severe cases, wall tie failure can result in the complete collapse of an outer leaf wall. The more damaged or corroded wall ties become, the more difficult it is to replace them.

How do you know if wall ties have failed?

What are the signs of wall tie failure?

1. Cracked brickwork (typically horizontal, or stepped)
2. Bulging brickwork.
3. Rust stained walls.
4. Structural problems on similarly facing elevations of neighbouring buildings of similar age / building type.

What does cavity wall tie failure look like?

One of the signs you can look out for when it comes to cavity wall tie failure is a bending or ‘bowing’ brick wall. In this situation, the corroded wall ties within the cavity wall have expanded within the brickwork itself. You can also look at windows for signs of cavity wall failure as well.

Is wall tie failure covered by insurance?

Despite the various different home insurance and contents insurance available, not all property insurance policies will cover cavity wall ties and are unlikely to insure against cavity wall ties affected by corrosion. Different insurance policies will vary in what is and is not covered.

How long do wall ties last?

In houses built before the 1980s, you can expect the wall ties to last around 15 to 20 years. For properties built since the 1980s, wall ties are generally made of stainless steel and can last over 50 years. And the most modern neoprene wall ties can last even longer than that.

How often do you put wall ties?

You need two and a half wall ties per square metre of masonry. The maximum horizontal spacing is 900mm and the maximum vertical spacing is 450mm.

Can I replace wall ties myself?

Typically, you can leave in place any original wire-type or ‘butterfly’ wall ties, embedded in standard-sized mortar joints. Generally, the metal is of insufficient mass for any corrosion to cause structural damage to the walls. Merely installing a replacement wall tie system will restore stability.

How do you detect wall ties?

locate a number in each elevation using a metal detector, drill holes nearby and look at the tie within the cavity with an endoscope. Often we can see the heavy corrosion and de-lamination. If there is any doubt as to the condition of the wall ties, we expose the outer end by taking out the surrounding mortar.

How often do wall ties need replacing?

How long do they last? Prior to 1978, wall ties were usually manufactured from galvanised mild steel. These ties were expected to last the lifetime of the building, but it has since been recognised that these wall ties can corrode after only 15-20 years.

Do you need to replace wall ties?

Wall ties are used to join the internal and external walls of a cavity wall and are installed during construction. Over time these wall ties start to corrode and require replacing – particularly where the steel wall ties have had little protection.

How often should wall ties be replaced?

How can you tell if a wall tie has failed?

It can be difficult to know exactly when wall ties have failed and to what extent. The most common sign of wall tie failure is the appearance of regular horizontal cracks in your outer wall. There is specialist equipment like endoscopes that can be used to inspect the condition of the wall ties within the cavity wall.

What causes horizontal cracks in a wall tie?

Horizontal cracks in the walls – Wall tie failure can often be identified by the horizontal cracking that results from the expansion caused by the rusting process. Unlike sulfate attack the cracks will coincide with the position of the ties (and will obviously only occur in cavity walls ).

What causes wall ties to corrode and fail?

Why does wall tie failure occur? Wall tie failure can happen where there has been corrosion of the existing wall ties or when insufficient or incorrect wall ties have been installed. When a mild steel or galvanised steel wall tie corrodes, there is a build up of rust (also known as iron oxide), which causes the tie to expand in size.

Is there a problem with wall ties in the UK?

Millions of homes and properties across the UK suffer from either wall tie corrosion or wall tie failure, and are in need of specialist remedial wall tie replacement. More often than not the problem is that during building there have been insufficient wall ties installed.