2007-P11476 - addn/remodel/repair

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McCollum,Crowley, Moschet&Miller, LTD , Project LiL-06-01304 January ZS, 2007 Page 3 windows. At this location tl�e moisture meter indicated 40 percent moisture content and we had visible water staining on top of the plywood. Plywood was still sound,but wet. Test Cut Number 5 This was located at the angled wall between the east side of die rotunda and the backdoor area. There is a heating duct exiting tlie wall at this location. A test cut was made through the wall, which exposed two layers of number 1 S building paper. The plywood was slightly dainp to the touch and the lnoisture content meter indicated 27 to 28 percent inoisture content. The plywood, however,was sound and undamaged. Test Cut Number 6 This was located at the joist band along the east side of the garage at the joist band space,just above the mudroom. This location was indicated as a hot spot on the infrared tests as well as an area that we were concerned'with due to previous leaks. Early in`tlie history of this home,there were some issues with the parapet flashing and roof area,which were corrected. We found two layers of nu�nber 15 paper were well rotted and deteriorated. The plywood was rotted, curled and broken,but was dry to the touch. The blown-in bat insulation appeared dry and the vapor batrier visible, as this was a joist space. We found there were some conduit and cabies iunning through this joist space from top to bottom,which probably fed some of the light fixtures on the wall above. AdditionaI Observations Walking arouud the perimeter of the home,we noted that there were a nunlber of areas that need to be caulked including all the window perimeters, door openings and penetrations. In addition, at the areas where the gutters intersected with sidewall,we found exposed holes where water could enter into the wall cavity. In sorr►e areas,the gutters were fuli of debris and some rest�-iction of the downspout areas,which reduced the abiIity to drain and could flow water over the top of these gutters and into the wall cavity. Tn some areas the cornices and frieze boards dive into the stucco,which overlapped the top of the frieze board. In these locations there was a small gap where water could be entering the system. Part of the difficulty with this, as in the prior comment, is that these are also areas where the downspouts exit the bottom of the gutter. They also show as hot spotis on the infrared, giving some indication tliat there is probable damage within these areas at the interior corner areas. Sorne of the small handrails around tlie roof and patio area are anchored down to the curb or parapet caps with lag bolts through the flashing. We did not observe that most of these had a sealant in place. These should have the bolts backed out and set in a pad of sealant to seal water from going into the interior. Many of flashings around the perimeter of the master bedroom deck area up on the third floor,had the sealants dry out and open up. It was possible for water resting on the top of the parapet to enter behind the front fascia or at the lap joints or at the miter}oints betweerz the flashes where the parapets change directions. Simple pressing on the top of the flashing cupped the metal down and exposed these areas to dump water into the wall cavity. These areas are issues that require maintenance. It is not known what the underlying waterproofing mechanism znay be for the tops of the wa11s and Ed Murphy with Water Associates was not able to give us any fur�her indication of what was probably in these locations. The majority of these observations were limited to the area surrounding the inaster bedroonl and walking across part of the tile roof area toward the center octagonal room over the center of the house. At the far end of this tile roof, I was able to observe that there was an additional gap and deterioration of some of the fill materials,which foimed the gntter from the corner of the tile roof to the wall and directed water down to the gutters.