Granted it doesn’t rain much here in Los Angeles. But when it does, it seems to pour am I right? Whether you’re a contractor needing a fenestration test, or a homeowner with a shower pan leak, or roof leak… searching for the presence of moisture is what we do. Water intrusion inspections require specialized equipment such as simulated wind making machines and calibrated spray rack equipment, not water hose.
Infrared thermography cameras are tools which we also possess and use daily for locating water from roof inspections and well, just about every other test we perform. As a matter of fact, our equipment is the most state of the art equipment available. Period.
Residential Rain Leak Testing
One thing is for sure when you call The Building Leak Detection Company we’re not going to show up to water test your issue with a water hose and flip-flops. Water intrusion testing is as much a science as it is an art form. Experience is key to determining how water travels through a building and what obstacles cause water to change course. When we show up… suffice it to say we become one with the water. Water intrusion testing and Rain leak detection is more of a science than anything really.
Commercial Rain leak Testing
Our commercial water intrusion testing and leak detection service encompasses many different areas of a commercial building structure. Much like with residential moisture intrusion, the commercial building tests are many times performed in accordance with standards such as AAMA and ASTM. Furthermore, in order to be qualified to test certain components with these structures, one must possess specialized testing equipment.
Three things you NEED to know about water intrusion in Los Angeles | Rain Leak Detection
First thing to remember about moisture it that your exit point is rarely ever directly under the entry point.
Second thing to keep in mind about moisture or water intrusion is that is may, in fact, lead to mold, thus requiring remediation.
Third thing to keep in mind when we’re discussing the topic of water intrusion is that water entering your building doesn’t necessarily have to come from the sky. As a matter of fact, over 75% of the moisture intrusion related damage inspections we perform within residential structures are not rain-related.
Tracing moisture is both an art and a science that we’ve mastered. Years of real-world and laboratory testing of building specific systems help Building Leak Detection surpass those who claim to be moisture intrusion experts here in Los Angeles. Our clients who experience water intrusion want a quick turn around which is why we offer express testing.
We offer multiple different types of moisture intrusion testing and Rain Leak Detection
Moisture intrusion testing requires us to be building envelope experts. No matter if we’re testing window assemblies perched high on a 5th-floor boom, or performing tests on grade, we have the equipment and the experience to get the job done. The Building Leak Detection Company provides multiple different types so moisture intrusion testing all throughout Los Angeles. For example, just to name a few;
Roofing Systems
Shower Receptors
Fenestration
Intrusion Via Negative Grade
Building Envelope
Sub Grade Plumbing
In the event that we didn’t list your specific condition, contact our office and we can arrange a job walk to get a better understanding of your issues. For over 20 years we’ve provided water testing of all sorts and performed countless inspections and tests. We also perform underground pipe leak and window leak inspections and testing.
In the event that we didn’t list your specific condition, contact our office and we can arrange a job walk to get a better understanding of your issues. For over 20 years we’ve provided water testing of all sorts and performed countless one-off, inspections and tests.
Regardless of what testing we’re performing, we do not use water hoses as a primary tool to test for moisture intrusion. As a matter of fact, we will only use a water hose as the vehicle by which to deliver water to our tools.
Expensive is a very subjective term. We charge by the hour, primarily. That said, we have different pricing for various different tasks, contact us for a specific price for your task.
A roof inspection is a physical evaluation of the roof installation and roofing material. Water intrusion testing is necessary only after a thorough roof inspection when roof leaking is suspected.
In a nutshell, fenestration testing, at least here in Los Angeles is the performance testing of windows, doors, and other types of openings in a building or wall envelope in accordance with whatever test is required / necessary bu the owner, architect, designer or builder.
Some of the testing specifications in which we must perform our test to, or in accordance with AAMA 511.08, AAMA 502-503, ASTM E 2128, ASTM E1105 − 15 just to name a few.
Our fenestration testing isn’t just for residential applications.As a matter of fact, we perform the same tests on residential buildings just as we do for commercial or industrial applications.
One of the tools in which we possess is the Wind Maker PLUS test kit which is a portable, durable, powerful vacuum test kit which when assembled correctly, simulates driven rain through a storefront, curtain wall or window assembly.
Faulty grade or negative grade, especially when the grade is directed towards a building, creates conditions that can in some cases be catastrophic.Over 30% of our business is a direct result of negative grade.
There are multiple different building codes and standards from many different sources which we reference. These standards stipulate the height requirements of the ground (grade) or concrete adjacent to the building. Soil or cement which is too high can allow a direct pathway into the building.
As soil or cement is installed higher than the weep screed of a building, water travels on the top of cement or the ground and easily over the sill plate or bottom of the building.
For the most part, yes. Water can leak into a building and go unnoticed that is until enough water has accumulated adjacent to the bottom of the building. that said, over time, and with little moisture activity, water can essentially seep into a building for a long time, harbor mold growth and even go unnoticed.
Indeed, faulty grade can be corrected. With this in mind, improving faulty grade can be very expensive. In many cases, subsurface drains are necessary which in and of themselves are expensive.
Although the term flat deck suggests there is no slope to the decks surface, there is, in fact, a slope. Building codes suggest a slope of no less than 1/4′ for every foot. So yes, there is a slope although subtle.
There are two methods we use to test our flat decks. First, is our flood method. With this method, we literally flood the deck while using time-lapse thermography and watching its progress every step of the way.
As long as we have access above the base layer and below the deck in this situation, we can test them. Our only concern is when decks like these have a secondary covering over the top which may be secured through the decks surface.
Although the building code requires a shower pan to be tested no less than 24 hours, with time constraints, our tests are much less than that. Conversely, if a shower pan is damaged, a 24-hour test is not necessary to establish a point of penetration. Still, we do perform 24-hour tests.
Damage to ceiling finishes below a shower receptor should be expected. Our method of testing includes time-lapse thermography which is monitored continually. This means the damage to the ceiling in a two-story building is decreased.
The easiest way to explain thermography testing is to describe it in this manner; our infrared camera sees everything in temperatures expressed as color gradients. In other words, these temperatures otherwise known as heat signatures, are expressed in colors via the screen of the infrared camera. As a Level III thermographer, it’s up to us to understand what is a genuine issue based on these images and what is a false positive.
Typically, our thermal imaging camera inspections focus on moisture intrusion. That said, however, our company has been employed to inspect such things as horses, Research and development products in their developmental stages, large scale industrial electrical services, emergency efficiency of a residence and the testing of both commercial and residential building envelopes.
While most moisture intrusion testing individuals shoot a wall and hope for the best, our process is a systematic approach to testing out a system. In a wall, for example, we test from the bottom to the top, systematically marking the moisture content readings progressively.
In the event that a deck or shower pan leaks during a test obviously we abort the test immediately as not to create any unnecessary collateral damage to the structure. With this in mind, damage to the interior of the building is inevitable. All clients understand the risks involved in performing these tests and also understand that there is always a chance for damage to occur.
In spite of what many home inspectors claim, the show answer is no, a thermal imaging camera cannot detect mold. That said, it can detect the moisture by which the mold needs to live. So I suppose the answer could be better described as, yes for moisture and no for actually seeing mold growth. Besides, in order to definitively say mold exists, a special mold test is necessary.
Roofs with steep pitches are absolutely inspectable. With this in mind, however, special equipment is needed to achieve this type of inspection. furthermore, special equipment requires special pricing.
Most Common Water Intrusion Inspections and Testing
New home construction standards are extremely strict. As a matter of fact, when you compare the new homes to the older holes say, of 50 years ago, you can see how much the standards for construction has changed. These changes are visible in just about every finish within the home. For example, in the old days, walls were barely insulated if at all.
Nowadays, the minimum standard for wall insulation in Los Angeles county is R13, the ceiling is R30 and the subfloor is R19 for example. In addition to these insulation standards, there are also codes which require the sill plates to be sealed to the slab, exterior openings around doors, windows and exterior penetrations be sealed, penetrations in plates are sealed between the attic and underfloor and exterior sheathing is sealed to prevent openings into wall cavities.
These are just a few measures adopted by the local building code officials in order to reduce your overall energy consumption. The use of infrared thermography can see areas within a building that leak air either into the structure or out of the structure. This is referred to as infiltration or exfiltration.
Thermal imaging is now more popular than ever because the camera allows us to be able to virtually see into cavities without performing destructive testing. False positives, on the other hand, can create conditions which may for a lack of a better word…”trick” an inexperienced thermographer. It’s these false positives which can look just like moisture but is intact cooler air entering the buildings envelope.
Summary
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Water Intrusion Inspections and Leak Detection In Los Angeles
Description
Granted it doesn't rain much here in Los Angeles. But when it does, it seems to pour am I right? Whether you're a contractor needing a fenestration test, or a homeowner with a shower pan leak, or roof leak... searching for the presence of moisture is what we do. Water intrusion inspections require specialized equipment such as simulated wind making machines and calibrated spray rack equipment, not water hose.
