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Hosting a Deck Party? Read This!
The safety of exterior, wood, elevated decks, balconies and porches has dramatically increased as a result of Building Code changes made via lessons learned from structural collapses. One of the causes of deck collapses is lateral loads, which can be hard to quantity. Recent studies by the Washington State University revealed significant information from laboratory […]
Tilt-up Construction
What may have begun in Ancient Rome is now one of North America’s fastest growing construction practices. Tilt-up Concrete Construction became a more feasible construction technique with the invention of the mobile crane about 100 years ago. In tilt-up construction, a building’s walls are cast directly on the floor slab and are then tilted into […]
A Use For Recycled Glass Bottles
Did you know that only about a third of the total glass waste is recycled in our country? Recent studies have found a remarkable use for glass in the construction field. More specifically, study results have proven that glass can be used like cement in concrete mixtures. This new viability of waste glass powder creates […]
Stay Safe This Summer!
Remember to never store other chemicals (cleaning products, solvents, fertilizers, deicing agents, etc.) in pool filter or pump rooms. The most widely used pool chemical is chlorine and it does not play well with others (particularly ammonia compounds). Very bad things can happen if they should mix, including creation of chlorine gas and other highly […]
With Spring Comes Heavy Planters
We are often asked about weight limitations for balconies, particularly with regard to the allowable sizes and weights of plants that may be put on the balconies. The simple answer is that it depends on exactly how the balcony was designed and built. In general, plants that are placed on balconies should not be so […]
WUFI: Hygrothermal Analysis Software (No, It’s not a Dog)
Computer-aided Hygrothermal analysis and modeling allow us to understand movement of heat and moisture through building components. While such analysis is critical when developing a new building, it is also an effective tool in the repair industry when new roofing systems, re-cladding/coating building facades, or even introducing interior finish treatments are considered for an existing […]
Spray Water Test
Spray Water Testing is often used to evaluate water leakage of buildings, especially at walls, windows or doors. Although there are many ways to determine if something is watertight, a common and effective field test incorporates two types of wet conditions that a building will encounter during a storm: surface flow and wind-driven rain. Surface […]
Protect Against Roof Damage
After observing and investigating the affects of wind-related roof damage at several buildings this past year, we feel it important to raise a few items to consider when replacing a roof. *Directly adhering roof membranes to paper-faced polyisocyanurate insulation should be avoided wherever possible. In many of the wind-damaged roofs we’ve investigated, the membranes were […]
Nobody Wants To See Staining!
Nobody wants to see staining after water penetrates a wall, or the white mineral residue (efflorescence) that evaporating water leaves behind. However, when it comes to all-in-one cleaning, waterproofing, and water management products, there’s no shortage of “miracle” cures for property owners to use. It can be confusing to decide which one is appropriate for […]
A Surprising Source of Energy Loss
Roof fasteners are probably not the first things you’d think of with respect to energy loss. The photo above was taken on a snow-covered roof and each of the black dots you see corresponds to a fastener and washer used to secure insulation, through which enough heat was lost to melt snow. They aren’t very […]
Prevent Expensive Replacement Projects!
During a recent plaza repair project, we were reminded why cleaning storm drain pipes on a regular basis is a good idea. Solids, such as minerals that may leach from building materials (concrete or brick) or small fines and debris (particularly in planters), may be picked up by surface runoff and deposit into drains and […]
Doesn’t Sound Good
If you live in an apartment, condominium or townhome building, there’s a good chance you occasionally hear your neighbors’ activities. Absolute silence is an unreasonable expectation, but you shouldn’t have to overhear your neighbors’ telephone conversations or listen to their music. Most building codes have requirements regarding sound transmission between dwellings in multi-family housing, but […]