Flaking Paint in Stem Wall Failure
Flaking paint is one of the first symptoms to show up when there is a stem wall failure. Most people might get confused about the symptom and blame it on overexposure to sunlight in the heat. But in reality, flaking paint occurs when there is oxidation in the stem wall, negatively affecting all the components, including the concrete and the paint.
Horizontal Concrete Cracks in Stem Wall Failure
Like any other problem, a corrosion problem brings symptoms, and those symptoms have meaning. For instance, when there are horizontal concrete cracks in the stem wall, it means that the oxidation problem started in the rebar, and then it went to the rest of the stem wall components.
Vertical Concrete Cracks in Stem Wall Failure
On the other hand, when there are vertical cracks in a stem wall, it means that the oxidation problem began in the tie-down straps, and then it spread to the rest of the concrete stem wall.
Rebar Replacement & Preventing Corrosion
As seen in this picture, the rebar in the stem wall got replaced, and a blue material got added to the process to prevent the rebar and the other brand-new components from getting damaged by corrosion again.