Seawalls play a very important role in coastal communities, as they help to protect structures and coastlines for rising tides and water erosion. Not every coastal area in an urban community will have seawalls that are protecting the coastline, but it is becoming harder and harder to find a coastline that doesn’t have some sort of seawall
While seawalls do a very important job protecting our property and belongings from water damage and erosion, they are not indestructible. After many years of use, a sea wall may need to be replaced, or at the very least they will need to have some sort of seawall repair. Riviera Beach residents need to be aware of this, because if they live in a waterfront home, there is a good chance that they may need seawall repair in the future.
A lot of times, homeowners are not aware what causes damages to seawalls overtime. Damage to a seawall can happen naturally over time without any major issue causing sudden damage, and this is a natural process. Today we will be going over some of the common issues homeowners deal with that cause damage to their seawalls.
Water Erosion Causing Damage to Seawalls
It should come as a surprise to no one that water erosion is the biggest issue for seawalls that can end up causing damages and failures. Many people believe that seawalls are going to be made from materials that are not affected by water erosion, but this is not true with most of the metals being used for seawalls.
Water erosion is typically a very slow process in which the water is slowly removing pieces of material, such as wood or concrete, from the seawall that can add up to structural issues. Over a long period of time, this damage can add up to the point where a homeowner will need to start considering professional seawall repair. Riviera Beach residents should know that water erosion is not something to take lightly, as water damage can be a real issue for someone’s yard, home, and belongings.
Water erosion is something that cannot be stopped, and it is a constant series of actions that need to be done in order to protect the coastline and items from constant exposure to water and water erosion.
Natural Disasters Causing Seawall Issues
Another big source of water damage and damage to sea walls comes as the results of inclement weather and natural disasters. In the state of Florida, our biggest issue to worry about are tropical storms and hurricanes, and they can cause a lot of issues for seawalls in both residential and commercial settings.
Excess water, along with higher than normal winds, and the possibility of debris hitting seawall structures is one of the main reasons why hurricanes are a big catalyst for professional seawall repair. Riviera Beach residents should be aware that it is very important for them to check their seawall after a major storm once it is safe to do so.
*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Superior Stabilization Corp*
