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Pyrite homes?

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  • 13-04-2012 3:37am
    #1
    shangri la
    Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭


    Pyrite.ie estimates the number of pyrite affected homes in Ireland at between 20,000 and 60,000.

    I assumed that pyrite was a chemical that weakened concrete and caused it to break down over a 30 year period but many sources seem to say the problem lies in the foundation and not the concrete blocks/cement.

    Can someone knowledgeable give a breakdown of this problem?

    Thanks.


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    #2
    highgiant1985
    Registered Users Posts: 1,777 ✭✭✭highgiant1985


    sorry to piggy back on this thread but I don't know much about pyrite either and one question I also have is if a buyer is looking to purchase how can they tell if pyrite is likely to be an issue or not

    can it be tested for prior to purchase, if so who can do so.


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    #3
    Skerries
    Registered Users Posts: 12,441 ✭✭✭✭Skerries


    Pyrite otherwise known as fools gold in Irish homes is supposed to be tested for when they fill in the foundations but obviously didn't happen
    When it is taken out of a quarry and used in a foundation it mixes with moisture and oxygen and swells up over time causing pressure on the floors and walls and cracks in the walls will appear and raised floors
    It can be tested for but you will need an engineer to do it
    the first test you can do yourself is visual to see if the floor levels are different along the walls or notice any bumps yourself also doors my stick due to this and also visible cracks in the wall not due to natural settling
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    #4
    shangri la
    Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭shangri la


    How does the engineer test for it on a 5 year old house?

    Is it a guaranteed test in the sense pyrite can't be missed?


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    #5
    killers1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭killers1


    I had a case recently where a client was looking for peace of mind around the pyrite issue. We had the vendors solicitor provide confirmation that the quarry from which the building materials were sourced was not effected by pyrite. May not be a 100% guarantee but certainly gave the purchaser some comfort...


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    #6
    Skerries
    Registered Users Posts: 12,441 ✭✭✭✭Skerries


    they take a core sample of your back fill and send it off for lab tests
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    #7
    jd
    Registered Users Posts: 5,699 ✭✭✭jd


    shangri la wrote: »
    the problem lies in the foundation and not the concrete blocks/cement.

    Can someone knowledgeable give a breakdown of this problem?

    Thanks.

    It's not the foundations with the issue, it would be the infill.
    http://aoconnellassc.com/component/content/article/40-insuranceinvestigations/142-pyrite-heave.html
    http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/media/committees/environmenttransportcultureandthegaeltacht/11october/Pyrite-Action-Group-Presentation-2.pdf
    http://pyritetesting.com/


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    #8
    gurramok
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,992 ✭✭✭✭gurramok


    Simples, don't buy any houses/apts that were built over the last 12 or so years. I wouldn't.


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    #9
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,988 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Skerries wrote: »
    Pyrite otherwise known as fools gold in Irish homes is supposed to be tested for when they fill in the foundations but obviously didn't happen

    IIRC all civil engineering projects had to test for it but home builders weren't required to, when it was being delivered to site. Obviously the quarries shouldn't have supplied it to be used for infill but they did.

    So to sum it up the builders didn't have to check and the quarries aren't responsible for the use after delivery.
    Skerries wrote: »
    When it is taken out of a quarry and used in a foundation it mixes with moisture and oxygen and swells up over time causing pressure on the floors and walls and cracks in the walls will appear and raised floors
    It can be tested for but you will need an engineer to do it
    the first test you can do yourself is visual to see if the floor levels are different along the walls or notice any bumps yourself also doors my stick due to this and also visible cracks in the wall not due to natural settling

    +1, also look at the other houses in the estate for cracking. The house you're looking at may not be affected yet.

    HomeBond have stopped covering Pyrite repairs and it's about €50k to get sorted. It'll cost as much in fees to try and take the now broke developer or quarry to court to try and get money off them
    gurramok wrote: »
    Simples, don't buy any houses/apts that were built over the last 12 or so years. I wouldn't.

    Not true. Some buildings are OK, but you need to be careful. A quick google of an estate and pyrite should let you know if there are issues.


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    #10
    gurramok
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,992 ✭✭✭✭gurramok


    Del2005 wrote: »
    Not true. Some buildings are OK, but you need to be careful. A quick google of an estate and pyrite should let you know if there are issues.

    Is there a publically accessibly database of which houses have pyrite or not?

    For a buyer beware, the buyer's chances of buying a pyrite infecting dwelling post year 2000 is significantly higher than a dwelling built before the year 2000 for example.


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    #11
    Mick1166
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭Mick1166


    gurramok wrote: »
    Is there a publically accessibly database of which houses have pyrite or not?

    For a buyer beware, the buyer's chances of buying a pyrite infecting dwelling post year 2000 is significantly higher than a dwelling built before the year 2000 for example.

    There is not such database. Where I live, an new estate in Hollystown, D15, there are few houses that have been badly affected with pyrite. One of these houses had the highest pyrite reading in Ireland

    The houses were built in 2006/2007 and the average price was above €500.000. Imagine that....


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