Why do i need a 25 Year Milestone Inspection?
25 Year Milestone Inspections are an essential public safety program put in place to ensure the safety of your building and the safety of the surrounding areas. After the tragic events that took place in Surfside Florida more stringent requirements were put in place to help prevent future disasters like this from occurring in the future. This is especially crucial to buildings near the cost which are more suseptible to the harsh elements found in Ocean Water.
Living near the beach is one of the top reasons people move to Florida. However all of these luxury ocean front condos are susceptible to deterioration from the corrosive elements inside sea water. Salt is the primary element in Seawater which can be found in concentrations between 30,000 & 35,000 PPM.
The primary ions in seawater including chloride (Cl−), sodium (Na+), sulfate (SO24−), magnesium (Mg2+), calcium (Ca2+), and potassium (K+). The heat from the sun evaporates ocean water causing the salt ions to float into the air. These salt ions can then penetrate into minute cracks in concrete reaching the underlying structrual rebar causing rust to form which expands and starts to degrade the concrete structure.
FAQ
Is the 25 Year Milestone INspection new?
Yes and No, South Florida has always had a building inspection or Building recertification program which inspected buildings after it reach 40 years of age. It was known as the 40 year inspection or 40 year building recertification inspection. However On June 24, 2021 an ocean front condo located in Surfside Florida called Champlain Towers collapsed causing numerous casualties. The collapse occurred due to long-term degradation of reinforced concrete structural support due to water penetration and corrosion of the reinforcing rebar.
After this tragedy building officials decided that waiting 40 years was not sufficient and the inspection needed to be done earlier. The building inspection requirements were then changed based on the Florida Building Safety Inspection program requiring buildings that were less than 3 miles from the ocean to complete a 25 year milestone inspection.
What are the phases of the 25 year Milestone Inspection?
The milestone inspection program consist of two different phases. Phase one is a visual examination of the buildings habitable and non-habitable areas. If Phase one is completed and there are no structural issues with the building then you are done and you will not have to reinspect your building for another 10 years.
However if you fail the Phase one Milestone inspection you will be required to complete Phase 2. Phase 2 includes a deeper analysis of the propblamatic areas and may involve more destructive methods to inspect the underlying causes of the damage. In this phase the company performing the inspection will usually chip away at some of the masonry or concrete structure to see the extend of the damage.
You will then be required to repair the damaged areas and have the repairs reviewed by an engineer or architect who is qualified to perform the milestone inspection. They will then give you a signed and sealed report which you can submit to your local building department to complete the milestone process.
When did the 25 year Milestone Inspection Start?
The new revised building safety inspection program which includes the 25 year milestone inspection went into effect from January 2022.
What is the deadline to complete the milestone inspection?
Once you receive the letter in the mail from your local building department you will have 180 days to complete the first phase of the milestone inspection. If you fail the phase one inspection the building department will provide you with an extension of 180 days to get the required permits to complete the repairs required.
What buildings require a 25 year Milestone Inspection?
As stated above the 25 year milestone inspection applies to all buildings across Florida that are three floors or more and less than 3 miles from the coast. This new 25 year milestone inspection program is a state wide requirement and applies to all buildings across Florida.
Who can perform the 25 year Milestone Inspection?
The 25 year Milestone inspection must be performed by a Florida licensed engineer or architect. Although these are the minimum requirements it is always best to choose an engineer or architect who specializes in the structural components of a building.
Why Choose us for your next Milestone Inspection?
We are an engineering and construction firm which gives us an additional advantage over other engineering firms. We not only understand the engineering specification of a building but also the way it is constructed. Having an understanding of both the engineering and construction gives us a deeper insight into what to look for when performing a 25 year milestone inspection. We have performed thousands of buildings inspections across Florida and have extensive knoledge when it comes to this building inspections.
