A horizontal support apparatus and method are provided for use with any structure having a horizontal span, including but not limited to doors, garages, and windows. The horizontal support apparatus may include two support columns, a lintel that is configured to be attached to the support columns, and that includes a vertical flange and a horizontal flange. The apparatus may include two lift bolts coupled to two end portions of the horizontal flange. The two lift bolts may be configured to respectively raise the two end portions of the horizontal flange. The apparatus may include two rotatable lift nuts that, when rotated, raise the lift bolts to engage and raise the two ends of the horizontal flange.

A plaster treatment compound, in particular a compound for reinforcing waterproof plaster treatments containing water glass, which contains 20 to 69 wt % of an aqueous solution of potassium silicate, 20 to 59.9 wt % of aqueous lithium silicate solution, 10 to 20 wt % of octyltriethoxysilane, and 0.1 to 1 wt % water glass stabilizer.

A system and method of retroactively reinforcing an exterior wall. A first anchor plate is provided having a central connection point and peripheral connection points. The center connection point is connected to an anchor tether. An opening is drilled through the exterior wall and at least some joists. The anchor tether is advanced through the drilled opening. Within the drilled opening, the anchor tether anchors to at least some of the joists. The first anchor plate is attached to the anchor tether and the anchor tether is tensioned. Secondary anchor plates can be also be attached to the exterior wall at different points. Lateral tethers are provided that interconnect the first anchor plate to the secondary anchor plates. The lateral tethers extend along the surface of the exterior wall at a perpendicular to the anchor tethers.

A method is provided for securing external wall insulation (EWI) panels to the outer walls of a high rise building of large panel construction. The method involves first identifying the location of internal voids in outermost floor/ceiling panels of the building; and then creating continuous passages through the outer load-bearing wall panels of the building into the located internal voids, with each such passage forming a tie bar anchorage hole extending into the adjacent floor/ceiling panel. Down the length of each tie bar anchorage hole is inserted a tie bar that has, at an inner end portion, an anchorage, and at an outer end portion, an externally screw-threaded portion that projects from the outer load-bearing wall panel. A pattress plate is located at the outer end of each anchorage hole, with the externally screw-threaded outer end portion of each tie bar extending through the associated pattress plate.

A facade gantry allows for close inspection of a facade using remotely operated cameras, probes, and/or sampling devices. These devices are located in a housing that is positioned in front of a facade by a system of cables, from which it is suspended, that allow for movement in any direction in a plane. Two cables are attached to the housing containing the sensors and tools and are wound onto two separate spools located on the roof at the vertical boundaries of the inspection area. By winding and unwinding these spools, the housing can be raised, lowered, and moved from side to side. The invention further has an optional “shed” located on the ground that protects pedestrians in the case of a suspension system failure. The shed moves to maintain a position directly under the housing. The gantry optionally allows for repair of the facade by using remotely operated repair tools.

A bracket for use with cement board siding may be used to fill in a gap that may have formed over time between the ends of adjacent boards that have been installed on the side of a building structure. In some implementations, the bracket comprises an elongated rectangular plate having a top edge, bottom edge, and rear surface. The rear surface may include a spanning feature that extends outwardly from the rear surface such that when the bracket is installed into a gap between adjacent siding boards, the ends of the spanning feature mechanically contact the ends of those boards. The bottom edge may include a return portion to engage the bottom edges of adjacent siding boards when the bracket has been installed. The top edge may extend upwards beneath one or more siding boards located above the gap in the boards.

Methods and apparatus for remediating buildings damaged by floodwaters. The methods include removing floodwater-damaged wall cladding to expose underlying structure. Applying under pressure a chemical composition to remove malodor and that penetrates into the underlying structure. Then, allowing a powdery surface coating to form on surfaces of the underlying structure. Useful apparatus includes a container configured to contain a liquid phase of a chemical composition and a pressurized gas canister associated with the container for supplying gas under pressure to a fluid conduit extending from an inlet of the container to an outlet of the container. The apparatus can include a venturi in a flowpath of the fluid conduit which suctions a chemical composition in the container into the fluid conduit for expulsion from the outlet of the container and into a high pressure spray delivery hose.

A horizontal support apparatus and method are provided for use with any structure having a horizontal span, including but not limited to doors, garages, and windows. The horizontal support apparatus may include two support columns, a lintel that is configured to be attached to the support columns, and that includes a vertical flange and a horizontal flange. The apparatus may include two lift bolts coupled to two end portions of the horizontal flange. The two lift bolts may be configured to respectively raise the two end portions of the horizontal flange. The apparatus may include two rotatable lift nuts that, when rotated, raise the lift bolts to engage and raise the two ends of the horizontal flange.

The invention provides a method of securing external wall insulation (EWI) panels to the outer walls of a high rise building of large panel construction. The method comprises first identifying the location of internal voids (7) in outermost floor/ceiling panels (2) of the building; and then creating continuous passages through the outer load-bearing wall panels (1) of the building into the located internal voids (7), each such passage forming a tie bar anchorage hole extending at least half a metre into the adjacent floor/ceiling panel. Down the length of each tie bar anchorage hole is inserted a tie bar (10) which has at an inner end portion (11) an anchorage (13,14) and which has at an outer end portion (12) an externally screw-threaded portion which projects from the outer load-bearing wall panel. A pattress plate (17) is located at the outer end of each tie bar anchorage hole, with the externally screw-threaded outer end portion of each tie bar extending through an aperture in the associated pattress plate (17). The pattress plates are secured in position in or against the outer load-bearing wall panels (1). A grouting compound (20) is then extruded past each pattress plate (17) or through an eccentric grout injection hole (19) in each pattress plate (17) and into the tie bar anchorage holes around the tie bars (10). Once the grouting compound (20) has set, a metal framework (25,26) for supporting external wall insulation for the building is bolted to the projecting externally screw-threaded end portions (12) of the tie bars (10), and EWI panels are secured to the metal framework (25,26) to clad the building.

Modular element adapted to replace a portion of the façade of a building in correspondence with at least one floor of the building, comprising an air conditioning unit and a channeling system, wherein the channeling system is configured to receive a fluid from an external fluid source, and comprises at least one first channel entering the air conditioning unit, and wherein the air conditioning unit comprises: a mechanical ventilation element configured to generate an air inflow into the building and an air outflow from the building, and to exchange heat therebetween; a hot and/or cold air diffusion element configured to heat and/or cool the air inflow using the circulating fluid in the first channel and to introduce the air inflow inside the building; an electronic control element configured to control the hot and/or cold air diffusion element and the mechanical ventilation element.