Part 4. Routine Maintenance

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4.1 Joint maintenance.
Explain that because concrete shrinks, joints widen with age (but at a diminishing rate). This can cause the joint filler to lose contact with one or both of the slab edges, reducing slab edge support. Therefore, tell the owner to delay filling the joints for as long as possible to minimize the separation of the filler from slab edges. If the filler separates from a slab edge by more than the width of a credit card, suggest pouring filler into the narrow void to re-establish contact. If the filler separates from both slab edges, instruct the owner to remove the filler and replace it with new filler.

Explain that at isolation joints, some differential settlement should be expected since isolation joints are designed to permit columns, floors and walls to settle independently. Without these joints, severe cracking of the floor or of the adjoining structural elements might occur.

4.2 Cleaning floors.
Recommend that the owner use only cleaning materials specifically recommended for concrete floors. Acids and strong alkalies should not be used on concrete because they attack the concrete and will etch or even dissolve some of it. If lift trucks or other vehicles ride on the floor, suggest keeping the floor clean of hard, sharp items such as nails or metal fragments, which can become embedded in tires and gouge the concrete.

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