mundic block

[roblove1]

How do I cure/overcome Mundic Block?

[rekstout]

Mundic Block (also known as concrete cancer) is caused by contamination of the aggregate used to manufacture concrete blocks. It causes the concrete to crumble over time and lose structural integrity. It is specific but not unique to concrete manufactured during the inter-war period in Cornwall and Devon using aggregate from tin mines. It is estimated that between 5 and ten percent of buildings in Cornwall built during this period are affected to some degree Buildings affected by this are unmortgageable as far as the Royal Institute of Chartered surveyors are concerned. There is no determined treatment for this other then replacement of the concrete which (as it is usually a structural element) is impractical or uneconomical. In theory I suppose one could inject some sort of bonding resin into the affected concrete but I doubt it would be workable in practice. If you have been sold an affected house then you should raise the issue with your surveyor who should have tested for it.