Protecting Your Structure, Preventing Water Intrusion, and Extending the Life of Your Garage

Expansion joints are one of the most critical waterproofing components in any parking structure. They accommodate building movement, absorb thermal expansion, and prevent water, chlorides, and debris from penetrating into the structural concrete. When joints become clogged, damaged, or allow moisture infiltration, the result is predictable: concrete spalling, corrosion of reinforcing steel, and costly structural repairs.

That’s why annual expansion joint maintenance and inspection is essential for every parking garage owner or facility manager.

At Restoration East, LLC, we provide comprehensive yearly expansion joint cleaning, inspection, repair, and replacement services designed to keep your garage watertight and performing at its best.

Why Annual Expansion Joint Maintenance Matters

Prevents Moisture Intrusion

Even minor cuts in the gland or small header failures can allow water to penetrate through the deck. Over time, this moisture creates:

Rusting reinforcing steel
Concrete delamination and spalling
Water staining and leaks into lower levels
Premature joint failure

Routine inspections identify these issues before they accelerate into structural problems.

Reduces Premature Wear

Debris, sand, and salts often accumulate in the grooves of the joint gland. Without regular cleaning, this creates abrasive wear on the rubber seal and header material, shortening the service life of the system.

Manufacturers like Erie Metal Specialties, Emseal, Sika, and Tremco specifically recommend semi-annual sweeping and wash-down to prolong seal and header performance.

Protects Against Snow Removal Damage

Improper snow plowing—including metal blades without rubber tips—frequently damages membranes and headers. Annual inspections allow us to identify early-stage cuts, tears, and impact damage and address them before winter’s harsh conditions make issues worse.

snow plow expansion joint damage caught and mitigated due to inspection

Extends the Life of the Expansion Joint System

Small repairs—such as heat-welding minor gland tears, patching header material, or performing partial-depth concrete repairs—are inexpensive when caught early. When ignored, these issues often lead to complete joint failure requiring full removal and replacement.

What Restoration East’s Annual Expansion Joint Program Includes

Our yearly maintenance and inspection service is based on manufacturer recommendations and industry best practices. A typical service includes:

1. Thorough Cleaning

We remove all debris, dirt, and surface contaminants from the joint system using a multi-step process:

Dislodging and vacuuming debris from the gland
Scrubbing and mopping using manufacturer-approved cleaning agents
Low-pressure wash-down to expose the membrane’s true condition

This cleaning alone often reveals hidden deficiencies not visible when joints are clogged.

2. Detailed Visual Inspection

Our trained restoration technicians evaluate:

Elastomeric gland condition (tears, cuts, wear, separation)
Header material condition (spalling, cracking, voids, deterioration)
Adjacent concrete (spalls, cracks, undermining, delamination)
Signs of water penetration on the underside of the deck
Joint movement and overall functionality

Every issue is documented with photos and a clear narrative.

Detailed visual inspection of expansion joint deficiencies in a parking garge

Expansion Joint Inspection Report Example of the best report typw

3. Deficiency Identification & Categorization

Based on our field findings, we classify deficiencies into three primary types:

Gland Damage – cuts, tears, or worn material
Header Damage – chipped, cracked, or loose elastomeric concrete
Concrete Spalling – deterioration around the blockout

Each deficiency is evaluated individually so we can recommend repair or replacement as needed.

4. Manufacturer-Approved Repair Recommendations

Minor repairs can often be completed quickly and cost-effectively:

Gland Repairs: Heat-welding small cuts or installing patch material
Header Repairs: Removing loose material and applying new Polycrete bedding & header compound
Concrete Repairs: Performing partial-depth concrete repairs to restore a proper blockout

For areas with extensive deterioration or complete failure, we provide options for full expansion joint replacement, including specification-accurate installation and heat-splicing of new membrane sections.

Protect Your Garage With Proper Expansion Joint Care

Expansion joints are too often overlooked until failure occurs—but with the right yearly maintenance program, they can provide decades of reliable service.

Restoration East, LLC delivers the expertise, reporting, and precision repairs needed to keep your parking facility watertight, safe, and structurally sound.

📞 Contact Restoration East today Whether your expansion joints are new or decades old, preventative maintenance is key.