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What Junk’s in your Trunk?

It’s mid-February, the snow is off the ground and new projects are starting to surface. Most specifically – commercial and residential projects which are overdue for a repair OR complete replacement of exterior siding which has been damaged or perhaps broken down over the years.

Now, you might be looking at the siding or the roof of your home or even the building you work in and things may appear to look ok on the surface – however what lurks beneath or behind your siding/roofing could be telling a very different story.

On a recent project completed by Exteriors – it was apparent that there was excessive wood rot once the exterior siding was removed. You can see that years of moisture and water penetration have completely broken down and deteriorated the building frame in a bad way.

 

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Now you might be thinking to yourself “How will I know if my framing or building envelope is THIS badly damaged without actually being able to see it?” – And this is a valid question.

It’s fair to point out that building standards and building codes have improved dramatically over the last 20 years – so the lack of measures around water/moisture/mould management back then were not as stringent as they are today. Even the building materials themselves have improved – not only becoming much more environmentally friendly, but also manufactured to withstand excessive moisture/mould damage due to the introduction of engineered and treated wood, as well as Fiber Cement siding products.

One way in which you will be able to identify problem areas is by doing a walk-around your home or building and taking a closer look at your siding, soffit & fascia – and checking for areas which may be allowing for water or moisture to be penetrating the building envelope. Basically – if water is getting behind your siding, then there could be an issue.

Also – you can do an internal check of your building – identifying areas of mould buildup or paint which might be bubbling on the ceiling or near windows. If your walls or rooms typically feel moist, there could be some concerns as well.

The great news is that for the most part – water and mould/moisture damaged can be quickly treated and repaired. And for excessive damage like you see in these photos – our Framing team can have your building or home back to good health in no time.

So if you’re concerned with the building envelope of your home or commercial building and feel that you could do with some expertise to assess if there is a bigger problem, please call Exteriors and we would be happy to meet with you.

 

Exteriors by Leroy & Darcy is an (A+) BBB Accredited company and are proud members of the Lethbridge Construction Association.