generally, if a building is abandoned, or isnt lived in, how long does it take to start falling apart? ive heard most modern buildings need to be kept heated (as in central) and have, well, people there else they begin to crumble and fall to ruin
lets assume theres no heating, and no squatters/vandalism. does it vary from building to building? ie 3 bedroom house to office block.
or am i being misled?
Little bump here… 'cos I’d like to know, too!
Julie
Building systems will deteriorate at varying rates, occupied or not. However, without heat in the building, mold will set in very quickly and can eventually make the place uninhabitable without some serious remediation. By serious, I mean tearing it down to the studs in extreme cases.
When the exterior paint begins to deteriorate, you will have water intrusion. This will probably start slowly after about three years, if freshly painted prior to abandonment. Water intrusion will lead to wood rot, damage to insulation, flooring, carpets, and the aforementioned mold problems.
If the roof develops leaks, you can end up with attic mold and wood rot in the trusses/rafters, damaged insulation, etc, etc.
Unused plumbing: the traps will dry out, allowing sewer gases to come into the building. No real damage, but the aroma is less than heavenly.
Any neglected structure will eventually develop problems, so it’s largely a factor of weather systems, insect and rodent invasion, condition upon abandonment, and deterioration due to neglect. I don’t know how your would attach a timeline without these factors known, and even then…