Red ash test, help

Christineh

Hi, we have just had a home buyers report done on our bungalow and the surveyer has recommended they have a red ash test. I always thought wood suspended floors were okay but now reading up I am not sure. Does the tester take the floor boards up to test. I'm not sure what's underneath or if it's relevent to whether or not their might be red ash. Help please worried sick.

Hasbeen

Christineh wrote: »

Hi, we have just had a home buyers report done on our bungalow and the surveyer has recommended they have a red ash test. I always thought wood suspended floors were okay but now reading up I am not sure. Does the tester take the floor boards up to test. I'm not sure what's underneath or if it's relevent to whether or not their might be red ash. Help please worried sick.

Red ash test to my knowledge is to test what hardcore is under concrete floors not suspended wooden ones.:)

Simby

How old is the property? After 1967 regulations changed and there is a membrane which helps protect the foundations from cracking.

They just take a sample send it to a lab and test. Then it comes back in one of 3 categories

One is fine, two is generally ok if there is a membrane and the shale is dry , 3 is an issue


I wouldn’t worry too much it’s probably just a precaution but it’s a sample of the hardcore that is tested under the floor.

AdrianC

Hasbeen wrote: »

Red ash test to my knowledge is to test what hardcore is under concrete floors not suspended wooden ones.:)

This.

Ash as in the stuff left in the bottom of a fire.
Not ash as in the tree that dies back.

"Red ash" is ash from burning colliery shail.
https://www.peakepc.co.uk/red-ash-sulphate-attack

Christineh

Hi, Thanks for replying, the bungalow was built in 1952 all wooden suspended floors. So when you say hardcore underneath does that mean a concrete, slabs or mix of soil ,bricks etc. Sorry to sound ignorant.

millie

The house we live in now had that problem but they are concrete floors. Apparently there was a problem with other houses in the area so our surveyor suggested we needed a test. Although the test came back negative because all the houses around had the problem we were told our insurance would not cover it. Because we knew of the risk, so the seller had all the floors replaced because e we were going to pull out of the sale. That was 38 years ago and there was a problem in our area. Another house across the road had to have theirs done when they sold because the red ash was found that was 10 years ago.

in_my_wellies

http://www.cashforhousesstoke.co.uk/sell-a-house-with-red-ash

Hasbeen

Christineh wrote: »

Hi, Thanks for replying, the bungalow was built in 1952 all wooden suspended floors. So when you say hardcore underneath does that mean a concrete, slabs or mix of soil ,bricks etc. Sorry to sound ignorant.

It looks as if it has a concrete slab foundation or concrete foundations for walls or concrete floors then a test could be performed?

Hardcore is the stuff that is put below the concrete to solidify the foundations. Concrete is the poured on top.

Simby

the sulphate in the shale building waste used as an infill in some properties can affect concrete floors but also brickwork under the DPC level.

The building waste was essentially put under the concrete as a filler if that makes sense..