Might this extension have been built using aerated concrete?

[Derek M]

My parents had this extension built in the early 1980s and I remember my Dad wasn't very impressed with the quality of the work at the time.

With all the recent news about aerated concrete being used around that time in public buildings, I was wondering if there's any chance that this extension might have been built using it and whether we need to get it checked to make sure it's not going to collapse?

My Dad said something about it being very hard to drill into recently when he was explaining why he'd probably need to get a professional in to replace the external door rather than doing it himself, so maybe that points away from it being aerated?

The third photo shows a crack that I noticed to the right of the doorframe, but that may just be superficial.

 

[23vc]

I thought the stuff in the news relates to large buildings using big concrete prefab/panel systems. Pretty unlikely that extensions built from it. Aerated conc blocks (or any other concrete block) aren’t the same thing and are used everywhere

 

[Tigercubrider]

I believe that RAAC is basically prefab slabs used to build buildings quickly and cheaply. Often used for roofs.
Mainly used by large building contractors bunging up large projects for councils.

 

[foxhole]

Difficulty in drilling would indicate lack of correct tools rather than a problem with materials

 

[Derek M]

Difficulty in drilling would indicate lack of correct tools rather than a problem with materials

Yeah, I didn't mean to suggest that it indicated a problem with the concrete, rather the opposite in fact, that it might indicate that the concrete is solid and not aerated.

 

[Derek M]

I thought the stuff in the news relates to large buildings using big concrete prefab/panel systems. Pretty unlikely that extensions built from it. Aerated conc blocks (or any other concrete block) aren’t the same thing and are used everywhere

Ok thanks, that's reassuring.

 

[Derek M]

I believe that RAAC is basically prefab slabs used to build buildings quickly and cheaply. Often used for roofs.
Mainly used by large building contractors bunging up large projects for councils.

Yeah, I'd heard something about roofs collapsing but wasn't sure if it might have been used for walls as well.

This extension wasn't built using prefab slabs though, so it sounds like I don't need to worry.

 

[^woody^]

The drama relates to long span floor and roof panels typically found on public and commercial buildings, not blocks used in domestic extension walls.

It's so serious, that one report states that obese patients in affected hospitals are being moved to the ground floor.

 

[pcaouolte]

The drama relates to long span floor and roof panels typically found on public and commercial buildings, not blocks used in domestic extension walls.

It's so serious, that one report states that obese patients in affected hospitals are being moved to the ground floor.

In the pictures that I have seen they seem to be using plywood and acrow props to hold up the affected concrete, I haven't seen anywhere using obese patients to provide support?

 

[RandomGrinch]

I haven't seen anywhere using obese patients to provide support?

They perform rather poorly in compression...

 

[^woody^]

They perform rather poorly in compression...

They work like those air Winbags you can get for lifting doors and stuff, you can pump them up a certain amount before they fail.