What is Cavity Wall Tie Failure?

Before we dive into the ins and outs of what Cavity Wall Tie Failure is, what happens when it occurs, and how you can look out for it, you may just be wondering what exactly a Cavity Wall Tie is… In which case, you’re in the wrong place. Check out another of our Wall Tie related blog posts that defines what exactly a Cavity Wall Tie is, the different types and what they do, read here.

If you are familiar with Cavity Wall Ties, you may just need us to refresh your memory, so let’s go over a few things…

Cavity Wall Ties are the unseen ties that hold the walls of your home together; known as the internal and external leaf of your cavity wall. Wall ties, although only small, are an essential feature of the safety and stability of your homes structure… all buildings need wall ties for support!

Cavity Wall Ties are easily forgotten amongst the other parts of a property structure, but when Cavity Wall Tie failure occurs, they can’t be ignored any longer as the consequences can be disastrous to your home!

What are Cavity Wall Ties?

If you want to really understand Cavity Wall Ties, then trust us, click here to read the blog!

Cavity Wall Ties are simple metal rods or strips that are key to the structure of your home. Holding together the inner and outer leaf of a cavity wall, cavity wall ties connect through the space within the cavity and help to maintain the safety and structure of the property by providing extra and necessary support.

Let’s just say, they are important!

What is Cavity Wall Tie Failure?

Cavity Wall Tie failure is essentially when the cavity wall ties, that are holding the two layers of the wall together, collapse and fail. This compromises the stability of the entire structure.

So, what causes it?

The most common cause of Cavity Wall Tie failure is prolonged corrosion to the wall ties themselves. Cavity Wall Ties are typically made of metal or metal alloys, which means they are susceptible to corrosion and rusting if water or damp gets into the cavity through the walls. Cavity Wall Tie corrosion is not uncommon, as like any metal, rusting and corrosion is a natural process. Although, weather factors such as flooding, heavy rain or leaks can cause the process to occur faster.

 

Another reason that may cause your Cavity Wall Ties to fail is bad building work, or otherwise loose brickwork/mortar. All these factors are crucial to the stability of the wall, and if not doing their job correctly, can loosen the Cavity Wall Ties.

An example of this would be an inadequate number of Cavity Wall Ties being used by the builders, causing the wall ties in place to be put under extra pressure and stress, eventually leading to failure.

What happens if Cavity Wall Ties fail and what to look for?

As Cavity Wall Ties are crucial to structural stability, wall tie failure can have a catastrophic effect on your home if left untreated.

An extreme example would be the collapsing of an outer wall, which typically occurs due to multiple wall tie failures at one time, or if the homeowner ignores the signs of failing wall ties and eventually the wall collapses entirely.

This leads us on to our next and most important point…

What are the signs of Cavity Wall Tie Failure?

• Walls bulging outwards
Due to Cavity Wall Ties failing because of prolonged corrosion.
• Horizontal cracks in the bricks or mortar
Occurs when Cavity Wall Ties expand due to rusting.
• Broken window ledges/frames or windows separating from wall.
• Collapse of inner or outer wall.

Being able to spot the signs of Cavity Wall Tie failure is crucial, as failure in the long term can have catastrophic consequences.

If you can spot any of these signs in your home, then CavClear can provide a full Wall Tie Survey to assess your property.

How can CavClear help?

If you think your Cavity Wall Ties are failing, CavClear can help!

We specialise in Cavity Wall Tie surveys, removal, and replacement. Our team of Cavity Wall Tie specialists can provide a full assessment with recommendations related to your property. Our cost-effective and speedy team can ensure the safety and stability of your home is well maintained.

Prevent long term damage to your home and get in touch now!