If you’ve never heard of pyrite, it might mean you haven’t been living in Quebec these past 20 years, because nothing has created as much discussion in the housing sector as this mineral has. This phenomenon was unheard of before the early 70s, when many properties in Canada were suffering from this scourge. In Quebec, the first cases of pyrite were recorded only starting in 1985. The news spread through the media in 1998.
What is pyrite?
Pyrite is a mineral consisting of iron sulfide. Completely inoffensive in nature, it becomes extremely harmful when it ends up in the aggregates used in manufacturing concrete or in foundation backfilling. This mineral becomes a problem when, in contact with water and air, it starts to swell to the point where it can cause cracks in the basement slab and the foundation walls. In general, the phenomenon occurs in the 5 to 10 years after construction.
How to solve pyrite-related problems?
It’s critical to have a specialist inspect cracking or swelling in your slab or in your foundation walls. To determine if it’s actually pyrite, the specialist conducts an examination and an analysis of the concrete and the backfill. If pyrite is the culprit, the only solution is to remove the contaminated slab, foundation walls, or backfill to replace them with backfill or concrete that is certified “DB,” which has been the mandatory standard for these materials since 1999.
With Durasec, you can have your pyrite-related problems solved. We are specialists in decontamination and in foundation repair.
We also offer you a chance to take advantage of our RÉNO-PYRITE guarantee from APCHQ.
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