How To Seal a Cracking Defective Concrete House

jj880

I live in a semi detached house in Donegal in an estate badly affected by defective concrete (the media have been calling it MICA but it has been proven more recently through better petrographic testing the problem is mostly pyrrhotite causing sulphate attack in block work and poured foundations).

My question is Ive been talking to a few friends in the same situation and we were thinking is there some kind of flexible pebble dash or similar we could use to completely seal up our houses for now and keep moisture out?

Maybe no such product exists or theres a better solution? Im open to anything at this point that does not involve replacing blockwork.

Some houses in the estate have been tested already and some are in a bad state.

I have a lot of thin line cracks outside (mostly horizontal and vertical on the gable) and some 2 or 3 mm wide cracks at the top of my gable. Ive filled these in but it wont be long before they open again. Some minor hairline cracking inside but not much. All houses in the estate have a smooth plaster finish.

Im not in any council / housing agency scheme and Im not signed up to any legal cases. Im just looking to get as much time in our house as I can before having to move out / rebuild.

Also Ive about 6 years left on my mortgage so if I can make it to the end of that I'll be in a better financial state to do something about it then.

Thanks.

Lumen

I'm open to anything at this point that does not involve replacing blockwork.

Windproof, water-resistant breather membrane would do a job, although not going to look great (your house will look like it's under construction) and won't last forever. The one I've used was guaranteed for 3 months of UV exposure but I had it on for a year or so and it wasn't obviously degraded (I assume there're certified for higher levels of UV than we get in Ireland). Costs like 2-5 euro per sqm, plus whatever you're using it to attach to the wall (tapes and spray adhesive, I guess).

Random example of one that looks reasonably house-coloured, no idea which country, not a recommendation:

https://www.wovar.com/vapour-permeable-construction-foil-closed-roof-and-wall-25m/?gad_source=1

I'm sure the pros have better ideas!

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121285045#Comment_121285045

Yeah its actually a similar colour to our house.

Im guessing you could start from just under the fascia / soffit and slightly overlap it downward with a sealer. Definitely an option.

suspiciousb

The one I've used was guaranteed for 3 months of UV exposure but I had it on for a year or so and it wasn't obviously degraded