Water and Moisture Intrusion;

In recent years, controlling water intrusion into buildings has become a full fledged crisis.
Today, the stucco industry is reeling from repeated attacks, builders are being denied liability
coverage for mold damage resulting from water intrusion and lawyers have created a growth
industry for themselves. "Mold is Gold" and is taking the place of asbestos litigation seen in
the 70's and 80's.

Whether a building is clad in stucco, brick, wood siding, fiber cement or vinyl siding, it is a
fact that all building cladding can and occasionally do leak water. The challenge is to
control and direct that water back to the exterior of the building without permitting damage to
occur. This is the function of the Exterior Drainage Plane, a water resistive membrane
behind the cladding that weeps moisture back to the exterior.

How Does Water Get Into Homes?

The usual cast of suspects in water intrusion cases includes the windows and doors, stucco,
siding, flashing details, roof to wall terminations, mechanical penetrations, and the roof itself.
Innovative manufactures and installation companies such as Metro Framing Remodeling and
Renovation understand these shortcomings and continue to redefine their procedures and
products to deal with these shortcomings. Some of these changes include;
Window panning systems designed to protect the building from leaks originating in
or around windows and doors.

Full drip cap on the tops of all windows, recognizing that nailing fins are not flashing.
A weather resistive barrier that permits water vapor to escape from the building while protecting the walls from bulk water intrusion.
Fully adhered ice and water shield on the roof eave to a point two feet inside the plain of the wall.
Proper flashing of mechanical openings such as pipe and vent penetrations, hose bibs, dryer vets and light fixture and outlets.
The use of high performance elastomeric sealants with the ability to adapt to dynamic movements in the building framework without cracking.
Careful inspection of each step of the installation process.

In order to ensure that proper steps are being taken it is important for all involved in the
remodel process to understand the importance of each step and how to do it correctly. When
viewed collectively, these routine installation practices become the specifications for creating
an Exterior Envelope and Drainage Plane that will meet or exceed current building code
requirements and provide integrity for a sound drainage plane. This will act as a built in back
stop for potential failure in the future.