Storage rooms

Most residential buildings have a storage wing, and high-rise buildings usually have more than one. The wing may be on the ground floor or inside the underground parking garage.

These are some of the basic requirements for a storage wing:

1. Resistance to dampness coming in from outside.
2. Proper ventilation.
3. A fire suppression and smoke detection system.

Dampness

More than once we have found entire storage wings in which every storage room was damp. The dampness usually shows as peeling and bubbling of the paint and filler layer above the skirting, on the ceilings, and where pipes come in from outside.

In such a case you need to establish whether the dampness comes from a one-time flood during construction or from faulty external waterproofing. You can also read about the difference between the two on the page Dampness in buildings.

Proper ventilation

When the storage wing is not properly ventilated, condensation forms. In winter, when the temperature drops, the moisture that builds up in the wing meets the cold walls and condenses on them. The walls become damp, and mold develops on the walls and ceilings of the storage rooms.

In severe cases the mold also spreads to the items in the storage rooms and can ruin them.

That is why a ventilation system has to be installed that creates air circulation and removes the moisture before it condenses on the walls.

Fire suppression and smoke detection system

Every storage wing, even in low-rise buildings, must have a fire suppression system installed. It consists of two parts: a sprinkler system that covers the entire storage area, and a manual fire hose reel inside a dedicated cabinet that does not rust.

In addition, a smoke detection system has to be installed that warns of a fire and sends a signal to the control panel, so that the panel can activate the life-saving systems.

Part of the inspection we recommend for a building is an integration test, which checks that the different systems work together as they should. For example: when the smoke detector warns of a fire, does the smoke extraction fan start running, and do the fire doors close?