Water Intrusion - Not Just A Caulking Issue
Posted on February 23, 2008 - Filed Under Business
I recently did an inspection where water intrusion & moisture was an issue. The sellers had done limited exterior maintenance in the 20 years they had been there so consequently there we a few areas of concern. Additionally, of the things they did do, some were done wrong. Here’s some general suggestions:
- Windows are an area to be watched carefully. It doesn’t matter what type of windows you have, you should be inspecting the caulking around the windows, the drip cap, the weep holes, and any seams in the window. Caulk is your friend… don’t forget him!
- Flashing around roof lines, bay windows, chimneys, etc will eventually need to be replaced… if you are replacing the roof you should look at the flashing as well.
- Trees should be trimmed away from the house. If a tree is rubbing up against a wall or roof, it can damage the home. Also, without a “gap” between the house and trees, it is difficult for air to circulate around the home and keep it dry.
- When repairing/remodeling/rebuilding decks, make sure that you have the flashing installed correctly. Incorrectly installed flashing may actually encourage more water penetration.
- Look at the bottom of exposed studs & sheetrock for water damage. If there’s been water on the floor, it is usually quite easy to find signs of it on the walls.
- Gutters are good. Getting water further away from a home is always a good idea, so I always recommend gutters. 6′ downspouts are great.
- Poorly maintained gutters are bad. If gutters are left without maintenance, they will clog with leaves and start coming apart. The only thing worse than no gutters are gutters that dump an entire roof’s rainfall on little spot against your foundation.
- “Settling cracks” can be a sign of more problems. If the house has cracks running between, or worse yet through, bricks or concrete blocks, it could be a sign of excessive settling. Many times this is an issue with gutters.
- Humidifiers should be used SPARINGLY. I saw a house that had significant moisture staining on every single window in the house. It was so bad in fact that some parts of some windows were replaced due to rot. These were 20-year-old double-paned wood casement windows… which are very energy efficient… and should not have seen even 1/2 that damage. If water is condensing on your windows, it is also condensing on your drywall, studs, sheathing, etc. It’s a great way to ruin your windows and encourage mold growth in the wall cavity. If you do use a humidifier, keep it set low and lower it even further when the weather gets extremely cold. Also, keep your blinds partially open to allow air circulation.
Edina Realty agent Aaron Dickinson
works with buyers, sellers, banks and investors in the Twin Cities, MN area and
is the author of the Twin
Cities Real Estate Blog and Minneapolis Real Estate Market Update
Tags: damage, moisture intrusion, mold, water intrustion
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