The enemy of any building is time and water. While we can not do much about the passage of time we can do a lot about the intrusion of water into the building. Keeping the outside "out" and the inside "in" is the primary function of the building envelope. When the building envelope starts to break down thru time or thru a deficient design or installation it must be investigated, diagnosed and then corrected. Certified Building Consultants can preform the first step of the initial non destructive investigation, make consultations from the diagnosis to the correction of the problem.
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Ultra-Sonic Leak Detection
A quality assurance test can be used with an ultra-sonic detector on the glazing seals of windows, the assembly of the window frame and on perimeter sealant. These are the areas of a window which most air and water leaks occur on the window assembly. This testing can be used without disturbing the construction activity. The sound transmitter with an output of 35KHz of sound is placed outside the window and the sound detector will rapidly spot points of sound which are gaps for air and possible water leaks. The detector can find gaps as small as .010 of an inch. This method is also effective for doors and any areas where waterproofing is applied. See slide show below
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Spray Testing
Water intrusion into the vertical walls can be replicated by the use of a calibrated spray directed at isolated areas of the wall to determine the source of the leak. The vertical surface is sprayed with a specific amount of water on a calibrated spray rack and a given duration of the spray. By elimination of areas of the walls or windows or any vertical surfaces the source is narrowed to other components of the building envelope that may be the source of the leaks.
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Infrared Scans
Missing, damaged, or inadequate insulation, building envelope air leaks, moisture intrusion, and substandard work are costly to residential and commercial building owners. An infrared camera can find the sources of energy defficiencies, destructive water damage, and structural issues so that informed decisions on needed repairs can be made.
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