(A) It is a common misconception that seeing one leak indicates only one source of intrusion. The building envelope’s waterproofing layer is a delicate and often concealed part of the assembly. This layer can fail in multiple locations, allowing water to enter and travel through walls, floors, and ceilings, potentially exiting at one visible point. Forensic investigations often reveal multiple sources (e.g., 4-6 sources) contributing to a single leak, making it complex to resolve without a thorough investigation. It is just as critical to identify the functional components in the envelope as it is to identify the weak and dysfunctional aspects of the envelope.

(B) No. The leak can travel 100 feet or more before revealing itself within the building envelope. The interior beyond the waterproofing layers can absorb and transfer water over great distances. In conclusion, we see cases where the source is from 2-3 units down or a completey different elevation from the source of the leak and typically multiple sources are at play, especially in older buildings or in newly constructed buildings and remodels that have not experienced significant weather events.

Sometimes, if the control layer is not concealed and the problem is topical. However, in most cases, control layers are hidden under stucco, tile, or sloping layers, making it impossible to identify leak sources visually requiring isolated non-destructive testing and potentially destructive testing.

This is often not the case. Without testing and verification, it is speculative to assume the leak is resolved. In new construction, incidental small leaks are often missed and not discovered until extensive damages have already occurred.

1. Hire a forensic construction building envelope expert to identify the source.

2. The Expert will initially review the as-built documents and assess the as-built conditions on-site to identify potential leak sources. Following this, isolated non-destructive testing and/or destructive testing is often required to identify all sources contributing to the leaks. It’s crucial to identify both watertight and non-watertight areas to avoid causing new leaks by disturbing previously unaffected areas.

Life cycles in forensic construction refer to the expected duration that repaired or reinforced systems will perform effectively. Performance options vary based on the materials and methods used. Forensic construction focuses on providing the building with predictable performance and lifecycles, ensuring that repairs and reinforcements provide long-term effective solutions. Regular maintenance and inspections can help maximize the lifespan and performance of these systems.

For waterproofing to be functional, its effectiveness and longevity are heavily dependent on proper water management—a separate but equally critical discipline to the overall functionality of the building. Simply put, water must be efficiently directed away from the building and waterproofing systems to maintain their integrity. This is typically achieved through proper sloping, softscape sloped more aggressively than hardscape, and ensuring that the drainage capacity of the water management systems is fully adhered to. Additionally, compliance with topography (civil) and plumbing standards—such as the number, type, location and size of drains—is essential to ensure that water is effectively managed.

A third party waterproofing consultant like California Consultants can determine the best systems to meet your expectations while also addressing the unique environmental conditions of your building.

It depends on the building’s environment and the owner’s expectations. Different materials have varying performance expectations and lifecycles in different environments.

• Short-term (5-10 years): Typically for temporary structures or low-budget projects.
• Medium-term (10-20 years): Minimum standard for residential and commercial buildings.
• Long-term (20-50 years or more): For high-quality materials and systems designed for durability and minimal maintenance.

Performance options also vary, with choices including high-performance materials that offer better resistance to weathering, UV exposure, moisture, vapor, wind, chemical resilience, movement etc.

California consultants can interview the involved parties to identify the best solution, customized to the building’s environment and the owner’s expectations.

Standard construction adheres to tested and certified methods, ensuring predictable functionality and often comes with warranties when approved materials are installed according to published guidelines. It relies on established criteria for substrates and applications, providing predictable performance and lifecycles.

Experimental construction, on the other hand, involves untested and unproven techniques, materials, or designs that push the boundaries of traditional practice. This approach comes with uncertainties such as untested durability and lifecycle, potential unknown costs, and unknown performance under various conditions.

California Consultants will ensure that your construction project not only meets industry standards but also upholds the highest standard of care, emphasizing the importance of purposeful and intentional due diligence.

Yes, sometimes a reinforcement or temporary repair recommendation can be provided. A thorough investigation and often testing is required to determine if assembly components are suitable for temporary repair or reinforcement versus replacement.

California Consultants can help determine if your building is a candidate for a reinforcement recommendation.

Life cycles in forensic construction refer to the expected duration that repaired or reinforced systems will perform effectively. Performance options vary based on the materials and methods used. Forensic construction focuses on providing the building with predictable performance and lifecycles, ensuring that repairs and reinforcements provide long-term effective solutions.

Regular maintenance and inspections can help maximize the lifespan and performance of these systems.

A third party waterproofing consultant like California Consultants can determine the best systems to meet your expectations while also addressing the unique environmental conditions of your building.

A waterproofing consultant specializes in building envelope design, specifications, and quality assurance, ensuring predictable performance and lifecycles of the building envelope systems.

In our experience, projects that do not take the building envelope and enclosure systems seriously from design through execution do not achieve watertight performance. 

Addressing potential issues early in the design phase can prevent costly fixes later. It’s not unusual for a $1,000 flashing component to cost $100,000 to fully mitigate if not installed correctly with the right detailing, material choices, transitions, fasteners, primers, and adhesion. The damages could be rather extensive.

It’s unreasonable to expect an architect, without specific experience and engineering disciplines represented, to design and execute a watertight building envelope correctly. Just as a general contractor must hire trades with professional training and at least five years of experience on projects of similar size, scope, and complexity, the architect must engage professional disciplines with relevant experience. Ownership should not expect the architect to design the building envelope independently. In our forensic water intrusion investigation division, more often than not, we see new construction residential projects are not watertight upon completion.

What these projects have in common is the absence of expert representation during the design and execution of the waterproofing and/or water management disciplines.

If you believe you already have representation, California consultants can still perform a peer review to identify any errors or omissions in the design of the building envelope system.

• General Contractor: Oversees the subcontractors and fulfilment of the construction project, coordinating all trades and ensuring the project stays on schedule.
• Subcontractor: Performs specific tasks within the project, such as plumbing, electrical work, or waterproofing application.
• Owner’s Representative: Acts on behalf of the owner to ensure the project meets their requirements and expectations of the owner.
• Architect: Designs the building, focusing on aesthetics, functionality, and compliance with building codes and puts together a team of specialty designers, engineers and consultants.
• Third-Party Building Envelope/Waterproofing and Quality Assurance Consultant: Provides specialized expertise in waterproofing and building envelope systems, ensuring that such components are designed and installed correctly to prevent future issues. This role is essential during the design phase, much like the involvement of structural or civil engineers. Just as architects rely on these engineers for their expertise in their respective disciplines, a waterproofing consultant is critical to ensuring the integrity and functionality of the building envelope.

If you have any doubts about whether the waterproofing design and quality assurance disciplines are adequately represented in your project, contact our firm for a peer review.

There are many factors to consider when selecting a window or a door, including environment, energy efficiency, sound insulation, wind resistance, and watertightness at varying wind levels. There isn’t a single window that is universally the best. For example, some windows, such as mall storefront windows, are designed for interior use and have no water-resistant design pressure rating. This doesn’t make them bad windows, but they must be used in the appropriate application.

When used as part of the exterior envelope, windows and doors should meet or exceed the water-resistant design pressure requirements for the building’s environment, as this is critical to the functionality and watertightness of the building envelope. For instance, a building located on a bluff or in an area subject to high wind loads may require a window or door with a minimum of 10 lbs PSF water-resistant design pressure, whereas a house in the middle of Los Angeles might only need a window or door with a 6 lbs PSF water-resistant design pressure. It’s essential to not only meet the environmental demands but also to include a margin of safety to account for expected weather fluctuations.

A third-party Building Envelope Expert, like our firm, can guide you in selecting the right windows and doors for your project.

While aesthetics are important, performance should take precedence when considering waterproofing. A well-designed and executed waterproofing envelope ensures the building’s longevity and prevents costly repairs, while still allowing for aesthetically pleasing solutions. If functionality is not considered, the aesthetics will not be preserved. Aesthetics are often the first indication of water intrusion, manifesting as cracks, stains, efflorescence, and other visible damage. There is no aesthetics preservation without functionality.

The degradation is going to make it unpleasing and stigmatized. Not to mention potential health concerns and if left untreated structural implications.

It is not uncommon for our firm to encounter builders who have had few building envelope issues with older, traditional construction featuring overhangs. However, when applying the same practices to modern construction, they often experience widespread and systemic problems within the building.

As the waterproofing consultant, California Consultants will collaborate with your architect to design a functional building that also meets the owner’s aesthetic desires.

Hydrostatic Transitions and Penetrations: These are designed to resist water pressure from standing water, requiring robust sealing and materials capable of withstanding constant water exposure and pressures. This is a much tougher standard than hydrokinetic and often requires the absence of seams or welded seams to overcome workmanship errors and achieve watertightness. This standard applies to all low-sloped horizontal areas and the first few inches of adjacent vertical surfaces.

Hydrokinetic Transitions and Penetrations: These are designed to manage water flow over sloped or vertical surfaces, typically requiring less stringent standards to achieve watertightness. It is less stringent from a detailing standpoint; however, it requires effective water management. Without proper water management, the environment can revert from hydrokinetic to hydrostatic conditions.

Pool and Water Feature Conditions: This is the highest and most stringent standard, applicable to conditions like gutters where seams and penetrations need to be welded or fitted with water feature-approved compression gaskets. These conditions are similar to through-hull fittings on a boat and do not rely on caulking. Typically, a dual system is required where both adhesion and compression can individually achieve watertightness. Often, a robust water management system is also installed as a secondary pan system to ensure that maintenance issues or incidental failures do not lead to catastrophic outcomes.

Ensure that your third-party or waterproofing consultant is thoroughly peer reviewing the transitions between the building envelope systems in the architectural plans. In our experience, these transition areas are a common source of water intrusion in new construction.

When purchasing Building Envelope systems, such as deck systems, roof systems, weather barrier systems (including single source manufacturer window and door flashings), as well as below-grade, planter, and water feature systems, it is crucial to choose complete systems from a single source manufacturer. These full systems are thoroughly vetted, tested, and verified to work together, ensuring chemical and adhesion compatibility that is suitable for the specific environment.

Using a single-source manufacturer’s complete system is the only way to obtain watertight warranties and predictable performance. Mixing materials from different manufacturers within the same system should be avoided, as even materials from the same manufacturer can sometimes be incompatible.

Carefully reading and adhering to the manufacturer’s specifications is critical, even when using a complete system. In some cases, additional measures, such as using epoxy divorcing layers or aluminum tape, may be required to separate materials and maintain compatibility.

California Consultants can peer review your project’s design to ensure that the building envelope systems have been purposefully selected and specified to achieve a watertight structure with comprehensive watertight warranties.

Often, it is not the material itself that malfunctions, but rather the installation process that fails. Therefore, having a material-only warranty, especially when the material is produced in a controlled environment, does not add value to the project. On the other hand, a watertight warranty requires the team to follow critical waterproofing steps that are proven to result in a watertight envelope. While the watertight warranty certificate is important, the actual functionality and watertightness of the building results from the meticulous steps and efforts taken to secure that certificate.

It’s crucial to ensure that your team has the appropriate and applicable warranties in place and active. Our firm frequently encounters cases where warranties are voided due to issues in the construction process, particularly when the waterproofing discipline was not adequately represented.

A third party waterproofing consultant such as California Consultants can review your project and provide recommendations to ensure performance warranties are in place and enforceable.