The Marmara Earthquake, which was expected to take place in the not too distant future, accelerated people's search for safe buildings. The loss of life, destroyed buildings and abandoned cities in the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquake that took place on February 6, 2023, once again revealed the reality of the earthquake in our country and the seriousness of the situation. The Marmara Earthquake, which is said by scientists to affect Istanbul the most and expected to take place in the not too distant date, accelerated people's search for safe buildings. On the one hand, while urban transformation is being talked about, on the other hand, an increase is observed in the number of relocations. İZODER President Emrullah Eruslu states that when renting or buying a new house, you can have an idea about the security of the building by making simple checks. He also underlines that it is absolutely necessary to check whether there is heat and water insulation in new houses to be moved.
Heat and water insulation is vital for buildings to survive against destructive factors such as earthquakes. Especially waterproofing, which protects buildings from corrosion, is very critical. Although buildings of 30 years are seen as having completed their life in our country today, the life of our buildings should be at least 80-100 years. In all new buildings to be built, waterproofing is mandatory as of 01 June 2018. We can prolong the life of our buildings and lead a healthy and comfortable life with the correct and complete implementation of waterproofing to be applied in areas of the building that are directly exposed to water, such as the roof, foundation, wet area, and thermal insulation that prevents condensation, known as sweating among the public.
Emrullah Eruslu, Chairman of the Board of İZODER Heat, Water, Sound and Fire Insulators Association, who underlined that it is absolutely necessary to check whether there is heat and water insulation when renting or buying a new house these days, shared his suggestions for detecting important problems in buildings with simple controls.
First of all, the license status and date of the building to be rented or purchased should be questioned: In order to obtain a building permit in our country, you can inquire about the insulation status of the building, knowing that thermal insulation is mandatory as of June 14, 2000, and waterproofing as of June 01, 2018.
It should be checked whether there is water and heat insulation in the building: The presence of water traces, plaster blisters, fungus and mold formations on the outer walls of the middle floors of the building indicates the lack of thermal insulation in the building. While visiting the interior of the house you will rent or buy, check all its walls, especially the north facades. If you are going to live in an attic, also look for water marks, plaster bulges and structural cracks on ceilings, at the corners of the ceiling and exterior wall joints. If you encounter these problems, it indicates a lack of thermal insulation and/or water insulation in the building.
Not only the flat to live in, but also the foundation of the building: It is not enough just to check the flat you will live in. Ask if there is a drainage system that will divert water from the structure. Be sure to monitor for structural cracks and whether iron is exposed. Make sure that the load-bearing elements such as column beams are not damaged. Correctly waterproofing the foundation of the building is very important and must be questioned. In the basement of the building, water marks, cracks, black spots or thrush from water and moisture on the curtain wall, beams or columns indicate that there is a waterproofing problem at the foundation of the building. It is possible to apply waterproofing to the roof of the building, to the wet areas where water is used, such as toilets and bathrooms, and to apply thermal insulation to the exterior of the building. However, it should not be forgotten that it is not possible to protect the building from the harmful effects of water by waterproofing the foundations of the building afterwards.
Sound insulation is a must for comfortable and peaceful homes: If possible, visit the house you are considering to rent or buy in the evening or on the weekend when the building is in use. Noise from neighboring apartments or outside when windows and doors are closed indicates a lack of sound insulation in the building. If you hear impact-induced noises such as dragging objects, footsteps, and air-borne sounds such as speech, TV or music from other apartments, it is understood that your building does not have sound insulation. This may require you to have a serious renovation in the future. If traffic and similar noises around your building are heard inside, it may require replacement of the glass units depending on the degree of disturbance. If you hear noise from elements such as plumbing and elevators, it indicates that insulation measures are not taken in your installation elements. You should also consider the land use in the immediate vicinity of the building when making a decision. Airport, railways and highways and recreational areas are important sources of environmental noise. In summary, before you rent or buy a house, keep your ears open and listen to the environment.
Fire safety should not be overlooked: Make sure to inquire whether escape routes are constructed that will allow safe evacuation in case of fire, whether escape routes are indicated with direction signs, and whether there are fire escapes, fire detection, warning and extinguishing systems in the building.