Be careful with the structure when adding extensions.
Changing the use of different areas of a building or residential house is something that owners are often unaware of, as it can affect the original structure's design! Structures that weren't designed to accommodate these changes in use can sometimes cause damage!
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(For example) Adding floors to a structure increases the load on the original structure beyond its specified capacity.
In structural engineering, a maximum increase in load from normal use is allowed by 10%. While this increase may not cause immediate structural damage, unexpected forces such as earthquakes can pose a significant danger.
In reality, the danger is even greater than what has been described. Generally, structural design requires columns on lower floors to be large enough to support the weight of the upper floors, and the size of the columns decreases as the weight decreases on higher floors.
Especially on the top floor, where the columns were designed to support only the roof, adding another floor means the columns are significantly overloaded. While they may not collapse, cracks may appear, or may be invisible.
Over time, the structure will accumulate stress until it reaches a point where symptoms become apparent, or when unexpected forces occur as mentioned. The structure could be damaged, posing a safety hazard.
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Recently, a question arose asking for advice on choosing between stainless steel water tanks and modern PE tanks for water storage. The user wanted to install the tank on the roof of a townhouse-style building. The advisory stated that the properties are not significantly different, but while PE tanks might be convenient due to their light weight and ease of lifting, constant sun exposure is a concern. A roof cover might be necessary for roof installation.
However, the concern is that roofs aren't designed for this. Storing a 1,000-liter water tank on the roof means adding an extra 1,000 kilograms of weight!
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To visualize this, it's like stacking 10 sacks of 100-kilogram rice on top of each other at the tank placement point. For a 1,500-liter tank, it's like stacking 15 sacks of rice.
If necessary, it's recommended to place the tank at a support post, which would provide some protection. Because columns can support much more weight than the floor, they should never be placed directly on the floor. Typically, structural engineers design roofs to support only 100 kilograms per square meter.
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There have been cases where buildings collapsed due to fire. Firefighters extinguished the fire by spraying water, but the added weight of the water exceeded the structure's capacity.
Furthermore, I read an article online about a homeowner wanting to replace a tiled roof with a concrete floor to create a rooftop terrace. This is extremely dangerous because roof tiles weigh approximately 50 kilograms per square meter, while a 10-centimeter-thick concrete floor weighs 240 kilograms per square meter.
Knowing this significant increase in weight, you probably wouldn't consider changing it, right? Therefore, before making any changes to the use of a house or building, whether it's an extension or adding functions, you should consult a civil engineer to avoid future problems.
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Thank you for the helpful information from HOME.
