Septic system failures, sewage backups, cleanups, repairs
Stair and railing safety hazards, repairs, litigation
Termites, rot, inspection, detection, prevention
Questions & answers about troubleshooting, installing, repairing, & maintaining the exteriors of buildings
These articles explain how to find, diagnose, and repair building exterior defects on residential and most commercial buildings, including chimneys, decks, drives, exterior paint and stain, gutters, patios, rot, mold, or termite damage, exterior stairs and railings, wall siding and trim, windows, doors, & walks.
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See links at page left or scroll down to see detailed articles on building exterior component inspection, diagnosis, and repair.
chimneys, vinyl siding, hardboard siding, synthetic stucco, lightning protection, paint failures, oil storage tanks, roof leaks, slate roofing, asphalt shingle roofing,
and septic systems. This includes explanation of causes of building exterior defects, how to spot them, how to repair them, and
how to prevent them.
Topics include attic condensation, chimneys, environmental hazards, vinyl siding defects, masonite or other
hardboard siding, exterior paint failures, lightning protection, above ground and buried oil tanks, septic systems, termites, and structural rot.
proper use of vapor barriers, We explain how to identify, diagnose, repair or prevent building defects and
environmental hazards associated with building exteriors, site conditions and the building envelope.
Links on this page direct the reader either directly into an in-depth article on the topic or to our collection of such articles.
A Quick Photo Guide to Building Architectural Styles
The illustrations of building architectural types shown below are provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a regular contributor to InspectAPedia.com. (Click to enlarge).
See ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID for our quick photo/image guide to residential building architectural styles, building types, roof shapes and types, window types
Building Exterior Problems: Inspection, Diagnosis, Repair
ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID, photo/image guide to residential building architectural styles, building types, building component identification, dormer shapes, roof shapes and types, window types, etc.
BARK SIDE DOWN on DECKS, TRIM, STEPS - how to place deck boards, stair treads, trim boards, so that cupping does not present a problem; also avoiding shelling damage to deck boards and trim.
ICE DAM PREVENTION - what causes ice to dam up along roof edges and valleys, and later to leak into buildings? How to prevent ice dam formation and ice dam leak damage
Log Home Inspection & Repair Guide - how to inspect, diagnose, and repair problems on log houses; how to identify and determine the age of different types of log homes: traditional log homes, manufactured log homes, slab-sided log homes, and alternative log homes using concrete logs and fiberglass logs.
: Buried or Above Ground Oil Tank Inspection, Testing, Cleanup, Abandonment of Oil Tanks Oil Tanks Above Ground, UL Standards, guidance for home owners, buyers, and inspectors
- Extensive, Detailed Consumer and Industry Information on Septic System Inspection, Testing, Maintenance, Repairs, Alternative Designs for on-site waste disposal
Sewage and Septic backup contamination in buildings: inspection, testing, remediation, & references to expert sources
STONE CLEANING METHODS - guide to contaminants affect stone or masonry surfaces, cleaning & prevention advice
SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS - are vent strips needed on exterior walls where foil faced building insulating sheathing is installed?
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS - how to diagnose the cause of various building stains, what do they mean about building condition? what do stains mean about building energy efficiency and heating or cooling costs?
STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS what causes stair or ramp falls and injuries? how do we inspect and correct stair, railing, guardrail, and ramp safety problems?
THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS - table of coefficients of linear expansion of common building materials in response to changes in temperature explains many building leaks and failures
VERTICAL GLAZING DETAILS describes best construction practices for installing vertical fixed glass windows on buildings
WATER ENTRY in buildings - this large topic is broken down into types of water entry & moisture problems, water and moisture sources or leaks, and cures for building leaks, basement or crawl space water entry.
WET BASEMENT PREVENTION - an easy to read guide for preventing wet basements by attention to multiple best construction practices, including the basics of foundation dampproofing, poor site drainage, bentonite clay for basement waterproofing, foundation membranes to prevent leakage, foundation drain tiles, proper backfill, and proper finish grading
WINDOWS & DOORS - types of windows and doors used on buildings; common trouble spots, maintenance, repair, installation of new or replacement windows or doors - see example articles listed below and links at page left.
Guide to Inspecting, Diagnosing, Repairing Skylights, Windows & Doors
See WINDOWS & DOORS for our complete list of articles on building skylights, doors and windows, including the topics listed just below.
WINDOWS & DOORS articles on window selection, installation, efficiency, leaks, diagnosis, and repair
VERTICAL GLAZING DETAILS - proper installation details for vertical fixed glass windows to avoid leaks, rot, condensation, heat loss
WINDOW / DOOR ENERGY EFFICIENT, DOE U.S. Department of energy detailed recommendations for energy savings at windows and doors - supplemented by leaks to articles with additional "how to" details
WINDOW LEAKS INTO BASEMENT - the good, bad, and ugly of leaks into basements at basement windows: diagnosis and cure
EIFS is an abbreviation for "Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems" or "barrier", a synthetic stucco material which
is usually applied over a system of solid foam insulation board and synthetic fabrics to form a stucco building exterior
surface.
There have been substantial building failures and costly damage at many EIFS
covered buildings, primarily because the EIFS-covered building exterior may leak into the building walls but the foam insulation
used beneath this stucco method may not allow moisture to escape from building cavities.
Hardboard, Composite, List of "Masonite"-type Siding Failures & Claims Information, Hardboard Siding Failure Diagnosis, Repair, Proper Installation
Hardboard, Composite, "Masonite"-type Siding: failure and leak inspection, siding repair, siding litigation, hardboard siding class action lawsuits and settlements are listed here
Hardboard siding failure, inspection, diagnosis, repair, and warranty claim links are given just below. For full information on hardboard siding, see SIDING HARDBOARD.
ABTCO hardboard Siding Failures & Claims: see www.abtcoclaims.com.
Boise Cascade Hardboard Siding Failures: examples and documentation. Mail claim to: Boise Cascade Corporation, Timber & Wood Products Division, Attn: Tana Rasmussen, P.O. Box 62, Boise, ID 83707, 208/384-6162; A Boise Cascade hardboard siding claim needs to include six photos, one of each side of the building & two close-ups that show the problems.
Georgia Pacific Hardboard Siding Failures & Claims: last date for filing claims under the settlement was August 18, 1998.
Louisiana Pacific Siding Failures: A class action settlement ended on December 31, 2002. Claims: contact Louisiana Pacific Corporation's product warranty department 877-677-6722 for LP siding installed before January 1996 or call 800-450-6106 for LP installed after January 1996,including Smart System® Products by Louisiana Pacific
Masonite® hardboard siding failures: On January 15, 1998, the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama, granted final approval to a Settlement in the lawsuit known as Naef v. Masonite, CV-94-4033. The Settlement provided a program for eligible claimants to recover the costs associated with damage caused by the installation and incorporation of Masonite Hardboard Siding.
The deadline to file a claim has passed. For more information call 800-330-2722. Also see www.masoniteclaims.com
Masonite OmniWood Siding claims: On January 6, 1999, the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama, granted final approval to a settlement in the lawsuit known as Cosby v. Masonite, CV-98-2446. The Settlement provided a program for eligible claimants to recover the costs associated with damage caused by the installation and incorporation of Masonite Omniwood Siding. The deadline to file a claim has passed. For more information call 800-256-6990. Omniwood® is a registered trademark of Masonite Corporation. Also see www.masoniteclaims.com
Shakertown Panel Siding Failures: some writers report Shakertown panel siding failures on product manufactured before 1992. Shakertown manufactures premium Western Red Cedar shingles for residential and commercial siding applications, available throughout the United States and Canada. See shakertown.com
Weyerhaeuser Hardboard Siding claims: see www.weyerclaims.com
Wolverine DuraPress® siding: this product is now sold as Weatherboard® by Certainteed - see certainteed.com
Siding Links to other websites and articles: EIFS, Georgia Pacific Siding, Louisiana Pacific Siding, Masonite and other Hardboard Siding failures, Siding Book
Note: Some construction writers are of the opinion that Fiber cement building siding, originated by James Hardie Products (Hardiplank®) is a more durable alternative to hardboard siding. Other fiber cement siding product lines include Maxi-Panel, Maxi-Plank, Cemplank, & FortaFiber.
Vapor Barriers on and in buildings; needed behind vinyl siding
Vinyl siding used as building exterior wall cladding has its own installation requirements, inspection methods (which should
look for failure-related installation errors such as improper detailing of J-channel around windows, as well as its own
reporting and repair requirements.
Vinyl Siding - Main Web Page on Vinyl Siding, includes review & comments about moisture & vapor barriers
Vapor Barriers - discusses the Need For and Role of Vapor Barriers Beneath Vinyl Siding
Questions & Answers regarding this article
Questions & answers about troubleshooting, installing, repairing, & maintaining the exteriors of buildings.
Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
"The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors",
Sharon C. Park, AIA, Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, web search 9./29.10, original source:
http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief16.htm
"From Asbestos to Zinc, Gutters", Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, web search 9./29.10, original source:
http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/roofingexhibit/gutters.htm
Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau, CSSB, U.S.: Sumas, WA 98295-1178, Tel: 604-820-7700, In Canada:
Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau #2 - 7101 Horne Street, Mission, BC V2V 7A2 Tel: (604) 820-7700, E-mail: info@cedarbureau.com , website: http://www.cedarbureau.org/
Forest Products Laboratory, US FPL, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI 53726, Tel: (608) 231-9200, Email: mailroom_forest_products_laboratory@fs.fed.us608-231-9200, website: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/
"Re-Siding, for more than a face-lift, choose the right type", Mack Phillips, Popular Science Magazine, September1977, web search 8/5/11, original source http://books.google.com.mx/
books?id=agEAAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA118&ots=
hkL03MHZZ1&dq=Masonite%20color%20lok%20
siding%20warranty&hl=en&pg=PA118#v=onepage&q&f=false
This article included a table comparing the original costs and properties of popular exterior siding materials [1977 prices]
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
Allen, Edward and Joseph Iano. Fundamentals of Building Construction: Fourth Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2004. pg. 91 [LVL lumber]
Analysis of Modern Paints, Thomas J.S. Learner, Research in Conservation, 2004 ISBN 0-89236-779-2 [Chemistry of modern paints, overview of analytical methods, pyrolysis-gas chromatography signatures of basic modern paints and their constituents, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for paint analysis, direct temperature-resolved mass spectrometry, and analysis in practice - technical reference useful for forensic paint science, focused on art works -DF]
APA - The Engineered Wood Association, 7011 So. 19th St., PO Box 11700, Tacoma WA 98411-0700, Tel: 253-565-7265. APA provides an HDO/MDO Plywood Product Guide that offers details about these products., provides an HDO/MDO Plywood Product Guide that offers details about these products. Product support help desk: 253-620-7400. Email the APA at help@apawood.org. Web search 09/13/2010, original source: http://www.pacificwoodlaminates.com/img/PDFs/PlywoodGuide.pdf
Understanding Ventilation, John Bower, The Healthy House Institute, ISBN 0-9637156-5-8, 1995 [General building science-DF - ** Particularly useful text. Mr. Bower has retired from the field but his book continues to be important]
The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop, and from the InspectAPedia bookstore. The 2010 edition of the Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.
Certainteed Weatherboard fiber cement siding and trim products - see certainteed.com/ or see certainteed.com/resources/sidingandtrimspecsheet.pdf
"Flashing: the plain solution to leaky walls", Thomas E. Remmele, Manager, Technical Services, Sto Corporation, Building Standards, November/December 1999 p. 21-25.
Laminated Veneer Lumber, Overview of the Product, Manufacturing, Market, Department of Forest Products Marketing, wood-Based Panels Technology, Finland [PDF] web search 09/14/2010, original source: http://www.hochstrate.de/micha/finnland/reports/replvl.html
"Moisture Control in buildings: Putting Building Science in Green Building," Alex Wilson, Environmental Building News, Vol. 12. No. 5. [Good tutorial, "Moisture 101" outlining the physics of moisture movement in buildings and a good but incomplete list of general suggestions for moisture control - inadequate attention given to exterior conditions such as roof and surface drainage defects which are among the most-common sources of building moisture and water entry.--DJF]
Paint Handbook: testing, selection, application, troubleshooting, surface preparation, etc., Guy E. Weismantel, Ed., McGraw Hill Book Company, 1981, ISBN-10: 0070690618, ISBN-13: 978-0070690615, [Excellent but a bit obsolete paint theory and practice, also a bit light on field investigation methods, out of print, available used-DF] How to select and apply the right paint or coating for any surface. The first major reference to help you choose the correct paint or other finish to do the job best on a particular surface exposed to a particular environment. Experts in the field give full advice on testing surface preparation, application, corrosion prevention, and troubleshooting. The handbook covers wood, metal, composites, and masonry, as well as marine applications and roof coatings. A ``must'' working tool for contractors, architects, engineers, specification writers, and paint dealers.
Paint and Surface Coatings, Theory and Practice, R. Lambourne & T.A. Strivens, Ed., Woodhead Publishing Ltd., William Andrew Publishing, 1999 ISBN 1-85573-348 X & 1-884207-73-1 [This is perhaps the leading reference on modern paints and coatings, but is a difficult text to obtain, and is a bit short on field investigation methods - DF] Provides a comprehensive reference source for all those in the paint industry, paint manufacturers and raw materials suppliers, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and industrial paint users. R. Lambourne was in the Research Department at ICI Paints Division and the Industrial Colloid Advisory Group, Birstol University, UK.
Seeing Through Paintings, Physical Examination in Art Historical Studies, Andrea Kirsh, Rustin S. Levenson, Materials in Fine Arts, 2000 ISBN 99-051835 [ forensic science, technical reference, focused on art works - DF]
Sealants, Durability of Building Sealants (RILEM Proceedings), J.C. Beech, A.T. Wolf, Spon Press; illustrated edition (1995), ISBN-10: 0419210709, ISBN-13: 978-0419210702 This book presents the papers given at the RILEM Seminar held at the Building Research Establishment, Garston, UK in October 1994. The book provides an opportunity for researchers to review up-to-date progress towards the achievement of the objectives of the standardisation of laboratory techniques of sealants in the variety of service conditions to which they are exposed.
Soiling and Cleaning of Building Facades (RILEM Report), L.G.W. Verhoef (Editor), Routledge; 1 edition (November 3, 1988), ISBN-10: 0412306700, USBN-13: 978-0412306709 The report of a comprehensive investigation by RILEM which examines all aspects of the cleaning of facades, subject to soiling by both biological and non-biological agencies. The contributors are international authorities working in this field giving essential advice to all those who need to know how to approach the problems connected with the soiling and cleaning of building facades.
Staining, Prevention of Premature Staining in New buildings, Phil Parnham, Taylor & Francis; 1996, ISBN-10: 0419171304, ISBN-13: 978-0419171300 The appearance of ugly staining early in a buildings life, ruins an otherwise pleasing appearance, tarnishes the image of the owners and gives rise to costly refurbishment works. In this book Phil Parnham raises a number of questions that should be considered whenever a new building is being designed or built. These are: * why has staining become so prominent; * what causes premature staining; which parts of new buildings are likely to be affected; * how can it be avoided? By using a number of highly illustrated case studies, the author answers these questions and ends by suggesting measures that should be taken by all design and construction professionals to prevent premature staining.
Sealants, Durability of Building Sealants (RILEM Proceedings), J.C. Beech, A.T. Wolf, Spon Press; illustrated edition (1995), ISBN-10: 0419210709, ISBN-13: 978-0419210702 This book presents the papers given at the RILEM Seminar held at the Building Research Establishment, Garston, UK in October 1994. The book provides an opportunity for researchers to review up-to-date progress towards the achievement of the objectives of the standardisation of laboratory techniques of sealants in the variety of service conditions to which they are exposed.
Soiling and Cleaning of Building Facades (RILEM Report), L.G.W. Verhoef (Editor), Routledge; 1 edition (November 3, 1988), ISBN-10: 0412306700, USBN-13: 978-0412306709 The report of a comprehensive investigation by RILEM which examines all aspects of the cleaning of facades, subject to soiling by both biological and non-biological agencies. The contributors are international authorities working in this field giving essential advice to all those who need to know how to approach the problems connected with the soiling and cleaning of building facades.
Staining, Prevention of Premature Staining in New buildings, Phil Parnham, Taylor & Francis; 1996, ISBN-10: 0419171304, ISBN-13: 978-0419171300 The appearance of ugly staining early in a buildings life, ruins an otherwise pleasing appearance, tarnishes the image of the owners and gives rise to costly refurbishment works. In this book Phil Parnham raises a number of questions that should be considered whenever a new building is being designed or built. These are: * why has staining become so prominent; * what causes premature staining; which parts of new buildings are likely to be affected; * how can it be avoided? By using a number of highly illustrated case studies, the author answers these questions and ends by suggesting measures that should be taken by all design and construction professionals to prevent premature staining.
Vassar College Architecture, Main Building, James Renwick, Jr., architect, William Harloe, builder, Second Empire style, http://vcencyclopedia.vassar.edu/buildings-grounds/buildings/main-building/
Vassar College, Maryann Bruno, Elizabeth A. Daniels, Arcadia 2001 ISBN 0-7385-0454-8
"Siding With Vinyl", Vinyl Siding Institute, a vinyl building products industry association, National Housing Center, 120115th Street NW, Suite 220, Washington, DC 20005 - www.vinylsiding.org
"Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
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