Hello everyone,
My wife and I are currently building a single-family house, which is still in the shell stage (masonry). During our last visit to the construction site, I noticed something inside one of the insulation cavities of the bricks that looked at first like a pen.
After pulling the supposed pen out of the insulation cavity of the exterior wall brick, we realized that apparently one of the masons had tried to dispose of his (most likely empty) single-use e-cigarette (vape) inside the brick.
The brick contains a fine, wool-like filling made of "pure softwood fibers." Since the construction has been ongoing for several weeks now, my wife and I are concerned that the e-cigarette we found might be just one of several.
Do these pose a fire hazard or any other risks? The scenarios we are imagining include the battery leaking or exploding after several years, which, combined with the softwood fibers, could quickly lead to a fire hazard… or accidental drilling into the vape when fixtures are installed in the masonry years later.
How should we raise this issue with the construction company? Is this just a minor issue and we are worrying unnecessarily, or is our concern justified?
Thank you very much and best regards
My wife and I are currently building a single-family house, which is still in the shell stage (masonry). During our last visit to the construction site, I noticed something inside one of the insulation cavities of the bricks that looked at first like a pen.
After pulling the supposed pen out of the insulation cavity of the exterior wall brick, we realized that apparently one of the masons had tried to dispose of his (most likely empty) single-use e-cigarette (vape) inside the brick.
The brick contains a fine, wool-like filling made of "pure softwood fibers." Since the construction has been ongoing for several weeks now, my wife and I are concerned that the e-cigarette we found might be just one of several.
Do these pose a fire hazard or any other risks? The scenarios we are imagining include the battery leaking or exploding after several years, which, combined with the softwood fibers, could quickly lead to a fire hazard… or accidental drilling into the vape when fixtures are installed in the masonry years later.
How should we raise this issue with the construction company? Is this just a minor issue and we are worrying unnecessarily, or is our concern justified?
Thank you very much and best regards
D
derbassist29 Sep 2023 22:17It is also questionable whether the contractor could simply deny that one of his workers brought the e-cigarette onto the site... in theory, anyone could gain access and dispose of their hazardous waste there.
sysrun80 schrieb:
Of course, you go to the company and tell them what happened. And then what is supposed to happen? “Hello Mr. General Contractor, the subcontractor mason or someone else disposed of their trash (cigarette butts) in the bricks.”
Do you think the general contractor will just ignore it or formally warn the company?
You need to respond with more serious consequences, in my opinion.
But you’re right: you should speak up before you suffer a disadvantage later that you can no longer prove.
You are basically standing alone with such a “minor issue.”
I think the only way to have an impact is a direct approach. Visit the construction site while work is ongoing, see who is smoking these cigarettes, and then confront them loudly in front of everyone during the break. You can prepare your words and arguments in advance. Possibly get verbal confirmation, involve DNA evidence and the police. Insulation, thermal bridges, financial damage, irresponsibility, and stupidity... This usually only works in theory for most people. But it’s worth trying and setting yourself that goal.
Regarding the risk: I can’t imagine that anything could happen if it is sealed airtight. However, it is environmental vandalism and can be very frustrating.
A
Allthewayup29 Sep 2023 23:22sysrun80 schrieb:
I don't mind cucumber slices or paper bags. But hazardous waste or liquid residues from construction chemicals are a different matter. The paper bag might slightly help improve the U-value, but I’m not really keen on it :-D
Jokes aside.
Address the contractor politely but firmly about your findings and ask for their support to ensure that the bricks remain in their factory condition, meaning no additional fillers are applied on site.
I’ve lost count of how many buckets of waste I have disposed of myself by now. You just get used to it, and that’s that. Many companies hardly dare to reprimand their employees for this, fearing it might be taken personally and cause them to leave – at least that’s my impression.
On soil that was previously uncontaminated, the plasterers cleaned their hoses, dumped leftover two-component coating next to the light well, poured leftover primer in front of the entrance door, wiped silicone and other residues on the bricks, and of course much more. At some point, you just have to clean it up yourself. I can’t stand hearing the phrase “it’s a construction site, not an operating theater” anymore. If someone can’t tell the difference between a construction site and a landfill, there’s really no helping them.
X
xMisterDx30 Sep 2023 15:44Of course, he can deny it. In an open shell construction, anyone can just walk around.
I’m still surprised that, during the severe building materials shortage at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022, nothing went missing at our site.
Making a fuss… probably won’t bother the workers much. At best, you might get laughed at; at worst, you could get punched.
And honestly, where else are the plasterers supposed to clean their equipment? The painters will clean their rollers in your sink too… if they have to drive to the company for an hour to do that, their tools will be ruined.
I’m still surprised that, during the severe building materials shortage at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022, nothing went missing at our site.
Making a fuss… probably won’t bother the workers much. At best, you might get laughed at; at worst, you could get punched.
And honestly, where else are the plasterers supposed to clean their equipment? The painters will clean their rollers in your sink too… if they have to drive to the company for an hour to do that, their tools will be ruined.
A
Allthewayup30 Sep 2023 21:11How about the container that the plasterers specifically brought for their plaster waste? That was maybe 20 or 30 liters (5 to 8 gallons) of leftover slurry at most, and there would have been room for it. But no, apparently the ground floor of zone Z0 looked so inviting. I had to remove that mess today with a shovel and a wheelbarrow just to get the landfill to accept the rest.
About 18 years ago, when I dumped a trowel full of hardened gypsum on the ground at a construction site outdoors, the architect immediately kicked me off the site. Today I understand that was completely justified. When I work on a construction site, I make sure to take care of my waste at the end of the day and, as part of my work process, consider how to handle the waste produced. So if that’s already asking too much, I don’t know what is. That usual excuse that “it’s just a construction site” is really worn out. Everyone talks about climate protection hysteria, but on construction sites all the mess gets dumped in the grass or on the ground. As long as the building’s energy efficiency looks great on paper, no one cares about what happened during the construction of the building.
About 18 years ago, when I dumped a trowel full of hardened gypsum on the ground at a construction site outdoors, the architect immediately kicked me off the site. Today I understand that was completely justified. When I work on a construction site, I make sure to take care of my waste at the end of the day and, as part of my work process, consider how to handle the waste produced. So if that’s already asking too much, I don’t know what is. That usual excuse that “it’s just a construction site” is really worn out. Everyone talks about climate protection hysteria, but on construction sites all the mess gets dumped in the grass or on the ground. As long as the building’s energy efficiency looks great on paper, no one cares about what happened during the construction of the building.
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