Report points to sensitive areas of balconies

The DHUP and (AQC) conducted an investigation around the sensitive points of the balconies following the Angers tragedy in 2016. Infiltrations stand out as the first flaw.

Confinement has certainly put more emphasis on the balcony, that "breathing, that bowl of oxygen that allows an occupant to be outside without leaving his or her home," explains Franck Pettex-Sorgue, President of the Construction delegation of Filiance, the Federation of Third Party organizations, during a conference with the AQC. The specialist also recalls the technical complexity and multiple constraints:

For example, it is necessary to reconcile conflicting technical injunctions, such as the continuity of the material: "concrete balconies are cold walls on the outside that extend into the interior, and at the same time this material must be continuous in order to bring strength and stability." (ibid., p. 1).? Accessibility for persons with reduced mobility and waterproofing to the right of the bay was another example of contradiction cited by the Chairman.

Infiltration as the main defect

The report "balconies: points of vigilance", which emerged from the survey commissioned by the Habitat Directorate of Urban Planning and landscapes (DHUP) of the Ministry of Cohesion of the Territories, from the quality Agency Construction (AQC), highlights various pathologies.

"the vast majority is due to infiltration problems either inside the housing or in the area below," says Jean-Pierre Thomas, specialties manager, a high-stakes unit at Stelliant expertise Construction.

Others are the result of weaknesses in "floor coverings, railing elements, solidity, bending and structure", with the risk of collapse if the structures are undersized.?

And the specialist recalls that the points to check and control are "of course the execution plans-that they include everything that is necessary and that the calculation of the balcony has been verified-as well as the phase implemented.

Implementation: need for more systematic monitoring

Implementation should also be the subject of more systematic provisions and monitoring by all stakeholders: the executing company, but also the contractor and the technical controller to ensure that everyone is properly applied (…) .

A balcony is essentially an isostatic work that stands on only one stand, "the expert recalls. In view of this, he cautioned on basic principles: "it is necessary to ensure that balconies are accessible to persons with reduced mobility at the level of the interior of the building, which can be a problem since the balcony is an outdoor element that receives water".

A water that must, of course, be drained. "the first rule of common sense is to orient the slope outwards if possible so that the water will drain, not stagnate, and will not infiltrate into the balcony. It is possible to build balconies with a little common sense, vigilance and discernment on implementation to make sure that all things are done in the best possible way. "

Two points of vigilance, also stressed by Franck Pettex-Sorgue: "the role of the technical controller is to prevent technical hazards. This takes the form of very special attention in the design and construction phases, for example by inspecting the first balconies to see if the implementation corresponds to the control of the inherent risks associated with these balconies ".

Precautions for use and observations

Some recommendations are thus issued to social lessors and heritage managers, in order to ensure the maintenance and regular monitoring of the works "because a building must be maintained.

He lives, he ages and is subject to a number of constraints and demands, "points out Jean-Pierre Thomas. The warning signs may thus be in the form of a trace of rust, infiltrations, cracks, "anything that may appear curious or abnormal or symptomatic of a problem that may occur or happen later".

As far as users are concerned, there is no text which summarises the minimum conditions for the maintenance or use of a balcony.

All the more so as their demand for outdoor space in dwellings appears to be increasing, with as a result a trend has made more balconies to meet them.

Source: batirama.com / Xavier Haertelmeyer