seawall maintenance Archives - Gibson Marine Construction

The Repair BEFORE the Storm

June 9, 2016 by gibson Leave a Comment

Before your weather app begins sending out lightning and water spout alerts is the time to conduct inspections of your dock, deck, boatlift, and seawall. Living on Florida’s Gulf Coast makes for singularly beautiful scenery, but in this case, with great scenery comes great responsibility. You never want to find out after the storm that the integrity of any of your property’s marine structures are breached. The effects of storm winds and tide surges only aggravate the condition. The way to find out that your Florida dock is under stress is not when your foot plunges through one of the boards. It is before.

Hurricane Preparedness details are everywhere: in offices, schools, and free online guides. There are many cautionary tales about repairs in storm aftermath. So with the clock having already started on June 1 for Florida’s official hurricane season, we’ve got a good six months of mild and severe storm systems ahead of us.

With Tropical Storm Colin safely behind us, and with months to go until the season officially ends on November 30, there’s still time to prepare your waterfront property for the season.

Getting Ready for Hurricane Season in Florida

We recommend having all your marine structures, particularly Florida seawalls, professionally inspected.

If you live in a multi-family building like a condo or townhome development, make sure to attend board meetings to gain assurance that the structures common to the residents are appropriately inspected and repaired.
If a private home, it may appear that common sense rules the day and dock issues are apparent. But they aren’t. Most Florida docks are built using wood piles and decking. Pile caps are typically connected with stainless or galvanized bolts. In addition to the eventual eroding of these connections, it is most certainly “what lies beneath” that impacts your dock’s integrity. Whether or not your dock is moored in salt water, water itself wears at structures. Add in the ubiquitous marine-boring organisms (whose home you are sharing) and you have a recipe for destruction.

This is why we reiterate that a professional marine inspection is your best bet – your dock’s surface may appear innocent enough, but a complete in- and below-water inspection is key.

Preparing Your Boat Lift

Storing your boat during certain times of the season is standard operation, it is also a good time to make certain the lift is in good repair. Once the boat is off the lift, your storm preparation can entail lowering the cradle on the lift all the way to the bottom. With the cradle in the water it will be more protected from winds and storm surge waves. This effort will support the protection of the lift itself and the dock.

For low-profile installations: protect your boat lift motors, switches, and covers by removing them and storing in a safe, dry place.

For lifts with sealed direct-drive systems: remove the gear unit after lowering the cable down to its lowest point as the cable will free spool back down regardless.

For all lift types: tighten all the nuts and bolts on the lift so you don’t lose any small parts during the storm.

Contact us at (727) 942-3111 for questions about the care and maintenance of these essential structures. It only takes one storm to make a difference.

Repair or Despair? How the Condition of a Seawall Affects Your Home’s Value

March 31, 2016 by gibson Leave a Comment

Whether you’re thinking about buying a waterfront home or selling your little piece of paradise, your seawall is an important factor in determining the value of your property. Although investors and avid vacationers are always on the lookout for waterfront properties, an old, rickety, and dysfunctional seawall can be a turnoff to potential buyers, leaving you with no choice but to settle for a less-than-average bid for the property you once loved so much.

But why is a seawall even important? You’re ideally situated with ocean or gulf views – that’s what matters most, right? Not exactly. Home value can be severely decreased by a neglected seawall. On the other hand, a strong, seawall with integrity can actually increase home value! If you already have a seawall it is worth the few extra bucks to refurbish what can be an overlooked piece of your home.

Here are three reasons why giving your seawall some love before you sell will actually benefit you:

Seawalls are an investment

A seawall will cost around $150 per linear foot, depending on what materials are used. This is why if the property already has a seawall, it will save the buyers a lot of money.

Most common seawall fixes include:

Well point drainage systems
Secondary anchors
New cap and tie backs
Grouting joints

Help! Erosion is stealing my land!

Ever notice how one day the beach shore looks nice and levelled, and the next day a “step” or level is created where the sand used to be? This is caused by the waves repeatedly crashing on the shore taking everything in their path. This can happen over time to your property’s shoreline due to erosion. Coastal erosion is the wearing away and removal of land by wave action, tidal currents, drainage, or high winds. The lack of a proper seawall will, over time, decrease the size of your property. A seawall is imperative for you to coexist in such a setting, while establishing boundaries. An anemic seawall will fall into disrepair while pitting you against the force of Mother Nature. You will always be the biggest loser in that battle.

Recreation and Seawall Safety

Because Florida is a hurricane area, buyers are especially concerned with safety when it comes to waterfront vacationing and residency. A seawall protects from hurricanes and flooding, which is another reason for its ability to increase a home’s value.

In addition, an article from National Geographic explains how sea levels have risen from 4-8 inches over the past century with a continuing annual rise of 0.13 inches.

A seawall decreases the risk of landmass loss from rising sea levels. In addition, seawalls maximize access of the land and provide recreational opportunities and real estate. It is easier for potential buyers to imagine themselves enjoying the property when they don’t have to worry about safety hazards and the associated expenses represented by seawall repair expenses.

What is a Seawall?

November 21, 2014 by gibson Leave a Comment

Florida is fortunate to have droves of people leave their cold and land-locked states to revel in our sunny skies and the singular beauty of our waterfront properties. The one disadvantage to area newcomers is learning about the marine structures that potentially impact the security of these real estate investments.

Just as you would hire a home inspector to ensure the integrity of a property’s HVAC system and its insulation, in addition to scrutinizing for roof leaks, etc., so it should be with the structures that ultimately protect waterfront property from the water itself.

Besides careful awareness of the condition of decks, docks, and boat lifts, a seawall is the structure that needs to be particularly durable. While they can be repaired, it is the wise homebuyer who will have it professionally inspected prior to purchase.

What is a Seawall?

It is an embankment that defends the shoreline from erosion and potential flooding. While there is typically a coastal defense solution in place for seaside towns, a private seawall will provide that extra layer between your land and the water.

You could say a seawall is simply delaying the inevitable, but when you live waterfront, these are steps essential to co-exist with nature; learning to respect boundaries so to speak.

Seawalls are not necessarily going to prevent high waves and subsequent flooding in very severe weather, but they help prevent natural sand and soil erosion. They can even provide a surface area perpendicular to itself that can be used for other purposes: like strolling along the coastline, taking in the Florida sunshine from a lounge chair, and enjoying a favorite local pursuit like fishing.

The marine construction industry offers a variety of materials that can be used. Design alternatives also lend themselves to creating unique looks and styles to suit the locale and the property itself. More traditional (and older) seawalls are constructed from large rocks and pebbles, while contemporary seawall construction incorporates materials like concrete, vinyl, metal, and/or a combination of all of the above. Woods and plastics are always an option, but should be used judiciously as they are not necessarily the most resilient — unless they are appropriately treated and of high quality.

Additionally, depending on the natural formation of the coastline, the area’s climate, and its tide, seawalls can be designed to be curved. This helps retard the water’s energy to facilitate wave breaking. They can also be straight, have multiple layers, and even slope to the water’s edge with a blanket of stones, adding to the natural beauty while still serving to impede destruction.

Installing and/or properly maintaining a sound seawall is probably one of the best investments you can make for your waterfront home.

Seawalls:

Serve as an embankment
Prevent soil erosion
Increase coastal defense

If you have ever been fortunate enough to appreciate water views from your own home; you know that it takes some maintenance and attention to marine structures to preserve and protect them.

If you are buying a waterfront home, we strongly suggest having it professionally inspected to ensure you are not inheriting breaches of any sort. Contact us for more information about how we can give you the peace of mind you should expect from a waterfront lifestyle.

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