Finding the Leak

Like the bumper sticker says, Leaks Happen. Eventually all roofs will leak. The various available condo roof surfaces typically have different reserve fund plan expected useful lives. High slope roofs such as fiberglass composite shingles are budgeted to be replaced in 25 to 30 years while low slope roofs surfaces such as EPDM (black) or PVC and TPO (white) roof membranes are expected to last 20 to 25 years. Of course, there are variables to consider such as frequency of inspection, repair history, and quality of original workmanship, but for planning purposes the industry standards can be relied on. What is difficult to predict is when the roof will leak or finding the source of the leak when it starts.

Repairing the leak usually starts with the water intrusion becoming noticeable to a unit owner who reports the problem to the property manager or building committee. Sometimes the source of the leak is obvious as is the repair plan. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Instead, the search for moisture infiltration can be a challenge with various investigative steps eliminating what is not the source. First, the possibility of an interior leaks must be eliminated. This could include leaky plumbing pipes; HVAC equipment condensation; fire sprinkler system; hot water tank leak; and ice dams.

Depending on whether the building has a high-slope or low-slope roof, the next steps often include viewing the underside of the roof either from an attic space or mechanical room with a flashlight. Luckily, the point of water infiltration can easily be spotted from visible water staining on the roof sheathing or decking underside and water or pooling marks on the floor. Following the interior investigation, viewing the roof surface directly from the ground with binoculars or walking the low-slope roof surface. Looking for damage or missing shingles or other roof components can be successful while inspection of roof membrane surfaces focus will be on broken membrane seams, holes, or flashing damage. If this visible inspection comes up empty, a more proactive effort may be required including spraying the roof surface area with water to repeat the leak occurrence or even flooding the low-slope roof area. Beyond this preliminary effort, my recommendation is to seek professional help.

This help should start with pulling out the original roof warranty (assuming you can find it) and read it to see if it would apply and then act accordingly. Your next step could be to call your local roofing contractor. Many of these roofing companies are very good but their business model is based on installing new roofing surfaces not your less rewarding repair service needs. This approach also faces the concern of conflict of interest following the roofing contractor’s inspection report recommending your condominium needs the entire roof surface to be replaced, not repaired. At this point, you may want to consider calling the engineering firm who recently performed your condo’s reserve fund study for guidance. The phone call will be free of initial costs, and should you engage their technical services their opinion will be free of conflicting bias while potentially making available to you technical and forensic tools you did not know existed.

Source of Moisture

As was suggested, fixing the leak is the easy part. Finding the leak is the challenge. As an example, a property manager for a low-rise condo community with flat roofs called me to tell of a water leak in a unit owner’s top floor kitchen ceiling where water was dripping from the ceiling light fixture. Above the ceiling was a dead plenum space containing the structural roof framing joists and utility cable conduits. The maintenance staff cut an access hole in the kitchen ceiling to view the underside of the roof steel decking and inspected the EPDM roof membrane surface above but with no success in finding the source of the leak. When I arrived what I found would have made Rube Goldberg proud of this leak.

Using an infrared thermal scanner, I followed the trail of the leak in reverse. The water source was a pool of water forming in a low area of the drywall ceiling’s vapor barrier where a pin hole in the plastic allowed water to find its way to the ceiling light fixture’s penetration hole. This pool of water was caused by the dripping of water from the above suspended metal cable tray channel which had a small hole caused by a missing fastener screw. This cable tray channel went 15 feet to the left till it was located under a structural steel frame for the HVAC unit located on the roof. Water dripping from the lower flange of this structural I-beam was coming from water falling from the upper flange of the I-beam four feet up-slope that was being wetted by water falling from an equipment mounting bracket bolt whose vibrations caused the EPDM membrane covering it to be cut allowing rainwater to enter the building. The use of infrared thermography allowed me to follow the differential surface temperature along the leak path right to the source.

Flashlights and moisture meters are still very useful but new effective forensic tools have become available for investigating moisture damage to structures including both thermal and infrared imaging; hygrometric scanning; capacidence testing; water vector mapping; electrical potential difference (ELD) testing; and nuclear scans. The use of low flying drones equipped with infrared scanning cameras for inspecting expansive flat roof surfaces is now readily available. There is no greater danger to buildings and their occupants than unauthorized water.

Written by Jack Carr, P.E., R.S., LEED-AP, Senior Consultant Criterium Engineers
Published in Condo Media

Challenges Associated with Window Replacement

Window replacement can be one of a condominium board’s greatest challenges. This is due to elements of mystery, timing, and high cost. For a variety of reasons a unit owner may want to replace one or more of her unit’s windows. After following the condo’s guidelines for obtaining approval from the board or the building committee, approval is typically very straight forward. The problem arises when the project involves replacing many or all of the community’s windows.

Window Ownership

Windows typically belong to the unit owner and are not a common element under most condominium rules. Often complicating this issue is the ownership of windows is not always clear in the original condo documents. Sometime the board finds the matter of ownership was determined by a past board decision based on an incorrect interpretation of the condo’s documents. Therefore, when in doubt, the board should check with the condo’s attorney for the final determination.

Assuming it is confirmed the windows belong to the unit owner, the building committee is not off the hook with window leaks or other window failures, as these same condo rules assigning the windows to the unit owners also assign the window frames to the association’s responsibility. In many cases it is not the window that is leaking but the frame’s flashing (or lack of flashing), structural framing, or other common element causing the problem.

Window Replacement

Poorly installed windows not following the manufacture’s instructions are one of the biggest sources of unit owner complaints. Often the only solution is to remove the siding around the window, inspect the flashing, and re-flash. Many such problems can be minimized by preventive inspections using either visual methods or instruments such as moisture meters to focus on the specific moisture path to diagnose the issue.

Most window replacement projects are due to age. Quality windows will last more than 30 years. Environmental factors such as high wind areas or proximity to bodies of water can have an adverse effect on the useful lives of some types of windows. Window seal failure on a limited percentage of windows can also prompt their early replacement. And, interestingly, the driving factor in most condo window replacement projects is not the age of the windows, but the age of the siding.

Window Costs

It is not unusual for a condo unit owner to be faced with having to pay for window replacement because the community has made the decision to replace the siding. The lifecycle of the condo’s façade may not be in sync with the age of the current windows. Replacing or changing a community’s façade is a difficult decision in itself. As the fenestration elements of the façade include security issues, sightlines, and air flow matters, the board may decide the windows also must change. Recent national findings have shown the importance of improving air quality in older buildings by introducing natural ventilation. This may require communities to consider changing the type of windows replaced in the future.

Window Choice

Choosing the best replacement window can be a daunting task and often a board will need the advice of a professional such as an architect, engineer, or window supplier. Choices of style, functionality, and installation types can be wide-ranging with some windows eligible for a $500 federal tax credit. The first decision is often whether the replacement will be ‘full-frame’ window requiring exposure of the rough opening or an ‘inset’ replacement. This decision will be dictated by both cost and the impact of the window project on the siding or other framing considerations.

Today’s typical high-rise windows frames are metal while low-rise residential window frames will have a vinyl exterior surface. From there, the decision makers will turn to selecting the type of glazing (window glass) where both initial and life cycle costs of materials and energy conservation will be considered. The initial consideration is double- (two-panes) or triple-glazed (three panes). Maine’s northern climate would suggest triple-glazed is the best choice to reduce both energy loss and noise transmission.

It is at this point the need for window expertise comes into play. Window performance can be greatly improved by changing the chemical composition or physical characteristics including the use of tinted glazing or reflective coatings and films to reduce heat gain and glare. Some low-emittance coatings have been developed to improve both heating and cooling season performance. Other manufacturers use low-conductance gas fills between the glazing layers with thermally improved edge spacers to meet performance goals.

The board’s window consultant will be able to guide the board through this decision process to select the optimal window performance within the community’s budget restraints. Windows are a long-term investment, increasing the market value of the units while reducing the life-cycle costs of heating and cooling. Making the correct window replacement decision now will allow the project to see a clear success in the future.

Article written by Jack Carr, P.E., R.S., LEED-AP, Criterium Engineers
Published in Condo Media April 2021 edition
Download a PDF Version of this Condo Media “Seeing Clearly” Article

Inspection Techniques for Surface Survival

The roof surface of your condo building is probably the most important common element under association control. Water intrusion into the interior will cause more damage or unit owner outrage than almost any other problem brought to the board’s or property manager’s attention. It bears careful consideration.

There are many types of roofing materials here in New England – roll/built-up roofing, wood shingles, metal, fiberglass shingles, etc. – but for ease of discussion, let us focus on the most common: high-slope asphalt composite shingle and low-slope membrane roof surfaces. Inspection techniques tend to be similar for all types of roofs.

Most roofs tend to last 20 to 30 years, but many factors can cause those estimates to vary. Warranties on roofs should not be confused with how long a roof will survive, as warranty is another word for pro-rated insurance coverage. Roof surface survival is more dependent on the quality and thickness of the material, skill of the installation, ventilation on the underside of the roof, and periodic maintenance than all the warranties in the world.

High-Slope Asphalt Composite Shingle

A periodic inspection by roofing professionals is always a good idea, but most roofs can be easily inspected with a little instruction and a systemic approach. The first thing to remember is climbing a ladder onto a sloping roof is the last thing you should consider. The condition of many roofs can be determined with binoculars and viewing the roof at the proper angle and time of day.

That said, the condition of a roof can often be best determined from inside, such as in the attic. The inspection should include observing the condition of the roof’s underside whether it be metal or wood product sheathing. Old and new leak stains should be noted, as well as their locations relative to roof penetrations and other reference points that will warrant further investigation during outside viewing. Attic inspections should also note the quality or lack of ventilation. All vents, including ridge, gable, and soffit vents should be clear of obstructions and mechanical vents should be operational. There should be a breeze in the attic on a windy day.

Roofs rarely leak in the open field of the roof unless shingles are blown off. Therefore, the roof inspection should focus on transition points of dissimilar materials or junctures of roofs and walls, such as dormers and chimneys. All skylights, vent pipes, and other roof penetrations should be monitored.

When on the ground, viewing the roof at an angle will help note irregularities or the first sign of aging and failure. Problems to observe on the inspection log are edge curling or other shingle movement; wavy shingle lines; cracked or missing shingle tabs; and loss of granular particles found in gutters from the shingle surface. Walking on shingle roofs showing signs of shingle movement can cause severe damage and lead to accelerated roof failure. Debris in roof valleys or valley flashing condition should always be noted. Shingles with a southern exposure will fail first. Observing the roof surface eave edge for damage from ice dam removal, rusting drip edges, and lack of a three-eighths-inch drip edge are all signs of early problems. Chimneys without crickets to divert water and ice are more susceptible to water infiltration and flashing failure.

Low-Slope Membrane Roof

Flat EPDM (black) or vinyl (white) roof membrane surfaced roofs are easier to inspect. They are also excellent candidates for thermal (infrared) scanning surveys. Issues to note are the condition of the surface coatings, punctures, cracking, alligatoring, blisters, fish mouths at seams, blocked drains, and ponding. Problematic conditions are ponding or the dried-up outline of prior ponding, which indicates poor drainage and can be a source of water infiltration. Roof membranes are designed to allow ponding for only a few days. If ponding is persistent over extended periods, the membrane will deteriorate, and seams will fail prematurely.

The heavy snow loads in New England are hard on low-slope roofs. Roofs are often cleared of snow to reduce dead load. The extra traffic on unprotected membranes can cause severe wear, especially in areas where the insulation boards beneath the membrane have their mechanical fastener heads touch the membrane’s underside causing tears.

No matter how many or what type of roof surface you may be responsible for, having a systematic way to keep track of the roof’s condition is invaluable. A maintenance log of leaks, repairs, and observations produces a very organized approach to facility maintenance. A checklist with the issues listed in this article with photos illustrating roof problems can go a long way to keep maintenance cost down and rain out.

Article written by Jack Carr, P.E., R.S., LEED-AP, Criterium Engineers
Published in Condo Media March 2021 edition
Download a PDF Version of this Condo Media “About the Roof” Article

Conventional pool safety measures, including covers, perimeter fences, and subsurface alarms, can prevent unauthorized access when a pool is closed. However, these measures do not protect against drowning when a pool is in use. Lifeguards, swimming lessons, and parental supervision have traditionally served as the primary safety measures during swim time, but tragically, even these are not always sufficient.

According to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA), 88% of child drownings occur with at least one adult present. This statistic highlights a significant gap in protection when a pool is open, especially in crowded pool environments. Even the most experienced lifeguards can experience fatigue and have a limited field of view. This is where Drowning Detection Systems come in. These systems monitor pools via underwater cameras and are available in both passive and active versions.

Passive systems feed continuous images to lifeguards on duty, allowing for easier and quicker identification of potential incidents below the surface. Active systems use Computer Vision to feed images into an AI model. These systems can recognize potential drowning victims, such as when a pool user has been submerged for an extended period, and automatically alert lifeguards if intervention is necessary.

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has created the first-ever standard for active systems: ASTM F3698-24 – Standard Specification for Computer-vision Drowning Detection Systems for Residential Swimming Pools. This standard sets minimum performance thresholds and requires indicators for low-visibility situations, ensuring systems alert lifeguards within 30 seconds of detecting drowning behavior.

“This is an interesting use of Artificial Intelligence for added safety,” said Criterium Senior Engineer, Ralph Manglass, P.E. “While very useful, drowning detection systems are not a substitute for access control measures such as fencing, gates, etc., and for trained monitoring personnel such as lifeguards.” Widespread adoption has yet to develop, mostly due to cost and awareness, but with F3698 established, the hope is that more manufacturers will create these systems, leading to more installations, fewer drownings, and more lives saved.

Annual site inspections are a part of a regular maintenance plan for any Homeowners Association Community and can ensure the safety and structural integrity of your pool and its protective devices. To learn more about the services Criterium Engineers can provide your community, click the button below.

Over the last twenty years I have had the privilege of meeting with many condominium and HOA boards and leaders. Some were seasoned and experienced while others were new and exposed to the culture of community living for the first time. All wanted to do their best, yet failings and mistakes were acknowledged. With the hope of being forewarned is being forearmed, I thought I would share with you some of my observations of the ten most common condo board mistakes to avoid future do overs.

Not Understanding the Governing Documents: It is so basic. New board members are asked to read all the governing documents, but long-time members should also periodically review the association’s rules and regulations, especially when an important matter is to be considered. And of course, the corollary to this recommendation is these governing documents must be consistently followed and fairly administered. Erratic enforcement of the rules will never foster harmony in the community.

No Confidence in Your Management Company: This problem can be avoided from the start by hiring the right firm for your community. Interview the best candidates; ensure their proposed scope of services meets the specific needs of your community; and periodically review the selected firm’s performance and share your concerns. Once the board sets the goals and policies it should step aside and let the management firm enforce them without micromanaging the daily operations.

Not Maintaining Accurate and Timely Financial Statements: Loss of control over your financial statements is a guaranteed path to chaos in the community’s future. Good financial statements promote confidence amongst the unit owners; good relationships with your bankers and insurance representatives; and accurate information for reserve and operational planning and budgets. Up to date financial information is the engine driving revenue collections; trouble-free payables; and payroll processing.

Unreliable Reserve Fund Studies: If your reserve fund study is over seven years old, it is almost useless. Having the study sitting in someone’s bottom drawer and not referring to in that time is almost worse. Reserve studies are living documents whose basis is always changing. Construction and repair costs have skyrocketed. Inflation over the last two years has made most budgetary schedules obsolete and underfunded. A board does not want to be in the position of releasing the start of a major project only to discover more money needs to be raised.

Contribution Shortfalls to the Reserve Fund: The source of this problem is a failure within the management team. Either your accountant has not billed the proper assessments; your engineer has not estimated the necessary capital repair budget; or your property management firm has allowed deferred maintenance to get out of hand. Underfunded reserve budgets can damage the community’s image; impact unit owners’ future sale plans; and require future special assessments. The board is ultimately responsible for maintaining adequate operational and reserve fund balances. Not facing the need to raise assessments or delaying the decisions for necessary capital expenditures are classic board mistakes.

Communication Failures: Condo communities not only must be transparent in their communications with the unit owners but must be perceived to be transparent. Confidence in the board is built over time and will be called upon when difficult decisions need to be made. When everyone has the same set of facts, common decisions are much more likely. Today the media to get the word out is vast including bulletin board postings; community websites; email bursts; postal flyers; texting; etc. A well-run community has its members fully engaged as much as possible. Good and bad news should be dealt with on a timely basis. The community motto should be: “When it hits the fan, run at the fan.”

Uninformed Team Members: We Yankees like to fix things ourselves. However, in community living this can get a board in trouble. When a problem arises, there may be a tendency to save some money by not calling the condo’s lawyer, engineer, or insurance agent. The other Yankee saying is ‘penny wise and pound foolish’. If a liability issue arises or a conflict over the interpretation of a bylaw phrase, a quick phone call to your condo attorney might avoid unpleasant future consequences. The same is true for building safety issues or the discovery of water infiltration in the condo complex. Building problems rarely improve on their own.

Board Disunity: Disagreement among board members is bound to happen. Everyone’ opinion matters but everyone can’t be right all the time. The board members must follow established decision-making protocols and once a decision has been made each board member must stand behind the consensus. Anger and lack of respect have no place in community governance.

Not Following the Chain of Command: In general board members and committee chairs want to do the right thing. Sometimes in their enthusiasm to get things done in a timely manner they may take matters into their own hands and act without authority. Condo leaders must be reminded from time to time that they are dealing with community money, and they should not direct on-site contractors and vendors to supply services or make repairs without specific direction from the board. This type of lack of discipline can create unnecessary liability or costs easily avoided.

Improper Vendor Selection: Perceived vender service dissatisfaction is often the reason for a new member joining the board. All should be reminded before terminating a vendor service an exit interview should be held to determine all the facts. With a bit of due diligence, the true problem can be revealed resulting in better service with less trouble.

Community living require forbearance and respect for volunteer efforts. All things are possible with village unity.

Written by Jack Carr, P.E., R.S., LEED-AP, Senior Consultant Criterium Engineers

Good friends of mine just retired and decided to move into an upscale condominium community. I asked if it was difficult to adjust to downsizing after leaving the “big” house, and interestingly enough, I was told the size of the living space was not the problem, it was difficult to adjust to the surrounding sounds. They would wake up to the adjacent unit’s alarm clock and kept up at night to the neighbor’s stereo speakers. During the day, they could even hear upstairs neighbors’ dog’s nails on the hardwood floors above.

Community living in Maine has many benefits. It also involves certain compromises. One of the more challenging aspects for owners to come to grips with is noise pollution. Residents, often moving from single family homes, are not used to hearing their neighbors. Sound transmitted between units, or sound from outdoors, can be extremely annoying and disruptive. And while many features of the unit can be appreciated during a walk through, the amount of sound transmission is not always apparent.

Identify Noise Problems

If there is a perceived noise problem in your community, one of the first questions to ask is where is that noise coming from? Is the noise coming from the outside? Examples would be transportation related noise such as highways, airplanes or rail noise. It might also be transitory, like construction noise. And it might be seasonal, like outdoor activity, especially when windows are open.

Internal noises may be transferred between units or from common areas into each unit. Transmission between units may be via walls, ceilings, or floors. It may also occur as a result of mechanical chases or through the actual piping or ductwork itself.

When addressing noise issues, it is important to determine whether the problem is localized or omnipresent. Certain orientations may be more susceptible to noise issues than others. Certain parts of a building–those near fans or mechanical equipment, recreational areas, etc.–may be more prone than others to experience problems. We have even found a variation between units due to construction inconsistencies. Field modifications in another area of the same building created a problem.

Any building may experience sound transmission issues, but the biggest determining factors are the physical location, type and quality of construction, and the age of the building. If a development is built near a highway or a flight path, the resulting potential problems may be obvious and hopefully were addressed during the design stages. Older buildings, especially ones that were conversions from factories or warehouses, can present particularly difficult problems. Structural components may abet sound transfer allowing it to pass unobstructed from unit to unit.

While some wall and ceiling assemblies are more effective than others, all must be assembled correctly with plenty of attention to detail. Care must be exercised to avoid “flanking paths” that allow sound to get around sound deadening assemblies.

Measure Noise Level

In a world where perception is reality, the first task is to define the problem. Is the noise that is causing complaints louder or more frequent than the occupants might reasonably expect? It is important to recognize that much of this is subjective. Different people will have different tolerances. The type of noise is also a concern – music, conversation, toilets flushing – each carry with it a relative level of acceptability.

There are, however, some relatively objective standards that have been developed by engineers and scientists to both quantify sound transmission and define acceptable levels.

The Sound Transmission Class (STC) is a value derived from creating and measuring the sound attenuation at various frequencies and comparing that to a standard reference. Whereas the STC measures sound transmission between areas separated by a common surface (walls, windows, etc.), the Apparent Sound Transmission Class (ASTC) is a more comprehensive measure in that it incorporates other pathways of sound transmission such as beams, columns, and chases for mechanical and electrical equipment, and is generally the basis for field testing.

The STC and the IIC (Impact Insulation Class) have been incorporated into local codes. Typically, the code specifies values of 50 (or 45 if field tested). However, codes are typically minimum levels and may not be high enough to produce comfortable noise control in many attached residential units

Address Noise Concerns

Sound energy, like thermal energy, is best disrupted by creating breaks between spaces. Mass also plays a role in overall comfort.  Generally, to improve Transmission Loss (the ratio of the sound energy striking the wall to the transmitted sound energy, as expressed in decibels), designers should seek to increase the weight of the surface layers and/or increase the distance between the surfaces.

Fiberglass insulation is often used, even in interior walls, to reduce sound transmission. Caulks and sealants are often used as well. Building walls in which the studs are offset and penetrations like electrical boxes and medicine cabinets are sealed can go a long way to improve the conditions. Drywall can be attached with resilient channels.

Dampening the source should also be considered. Many associations are beginning to establish minimum coverage of hard floors with carpeting, restrictions on hard soled shoes, and setting limits for sound levels from audio equipment. Other, more sophisticated strategies like baffling can be employed.

Reducing sound transmission in an existing building, whether old or new, is much more difficult than including good sound transmission practice as part of new construction. Reduction of sound transmission in wood framed buildings is generally more difficult than masonry or steel structures.

If problems arise, the first steps are to determine the existence of a real problem, attempt to quantify it, inspect to ensure that components were actually built as planned, and, then, hire a qualified consultant to recommend improvements. Most irritating noise issues can be resolved with some sound evaluation and thinking.

Article written by Jack Carr, P.E., R.S., LEED-AP, Criterium Engineers

May is National Deck Safety Month® and your spring maintenance checklist should include a thorough inspection of your deck and railings. It’s important to check their safety before the outdoor entertainment season begins with family gatherings and neighborhood barbecues taking place on your deck.

Here are a few items to consider as you check your deck:

• Check Connections: make sure all railing connections are secure. Anchorage points for wood railings often rot and may fail. Perform a stress test by cautiously pushing on the railing to make sure it doesn’t give at any point.
• Stair Railings: stairs with two or more stair risers should have a railing.
• Guardrails (railings): are required on “open-sided walking surfaces” higher than 30 inches from the ground, including decks. On single family homes, guardrails must be 36 inches high for decks (measured from the deck surface to the top of the rail) and 34 inches for stairs, measured vertically from the tread nosing.
• Strength & Spacing: both guardrails and handrails must be able to withstand at least 200 pounds of force applied at any point and in any direction. The balusters should withstand 50 pounds of pressure exerted over a one-square-foot area. Spaces between balusters cannot exceed 4 inches to prevent children from getting their heads stuck in the openings or falling through them.
• Benches: a bench installed around the perimeter does not serve also as a guardrail. The bench may be the required distance from the ground (36 inches), but without a guardrail behind it, which both the building code and common sense require, there is nothing to prevent someone from toppling backwards off the deck.
• Touchup with Paint: repaint or stain the wood, if necessary (the experts suggest at least every five years). Consider using paint with slip-resistant additives for the deck and stairway riser surfaces.

With regular inspections of handrails and guardrails, you can identify and correct problems before they become an accident you could have prevented. Making sure that your deck, handrails and guardrails are safe will help to ensure the safety of all who use them from toddlers to seniors.

Related Deck Safety Resources:

• Your Home – a Criterium Engineers article “Stairways and Decks Aren’t Safe Unless their Railings are Secure.” This document outlines building code requirements for guardrails and handrails, as well as design elements that may cause problems such as rail height and benches along the perimeter.
• The North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) provides tools for consumers to Check Your Deck® for the upcoming season.
  • NADRA’s Check Your Deck® consumer checklistNote: these deck safety resources are provided for consumer guidance only. Contact us to have a licensed, Professional Engineer perform a structural inspection of your deck.

Addressing the Reality

Since brick masonry exterior facades are supposed to have useful lives of 100 years or more, a prevalent myth is masonry facades are virtually maintenance free, needing little discussion by the condo board, and a rare cost item in reserve fund studies. In reality, masonry maintenance is discussed often with a great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding of the key issues.

Inspection and Maintenance

A condominium’s brick facade is one of its most important common elements. As such, its condition should be well-known. This can only be accomplished if it is inspected on an annual basis with full documentation including written comments, photographs, and sketches as needed. This facade report can be done by the building committee with proper training and consistent reporting protocols in place. The report should comment on the presence of structural and maintenance issues but does not have to suggest methods of repair.

Maintenance issues could include the presence of plant or vine materials on exterior walls; blocked weep holes; surface efflorescence; damaged brick; and mortar decay. Structural issues could include the presence of mortar/brick cracks >0.075 inches (2mm) in width in multiple brick units; stepped or diagonal cracking; heavy rust on window/door opening lintels; out of plane wall movement; and negative slopes on masonry sills. The scope of the exterior wall inspection should include the viewing of interior walls where water infiltration or wall staining has been reported.

Structure Matters

Equally important in a facade investigation is understanding what structure makes up the facade, as it is a myth all brick buildings are the same. Most of the old brick buildings in major cities use the exterior brick to support the interior floor framing and are thus called “bearing wall masonry.” These heavy walls were designed to prevent moisture from entering into the building’s interior spaces by the brick absorbing water in its multi-layers (wythes) of brick and drying out when the weather improved.

Over a hundred years ago, steel framing was introduced, allowing the building designer to hang the exterior facade skin using steel anchors on the perimeter of the building’s steel frame to produce more lightweight and cost-effective buildings. Today’s brick buildings use brick as a veneer in which the brick is only the first line of defense against water infiltration. The brick actually provides mechanical protection to the true water barrier, namely, sheathing behind a cavity space. This cavity acts as a drainage plane with weep holes at the bottom of the brickwork. It is also a myth to assume all brick veneer facades are the same. Brick veneers systems built before the mid-1980s did not have the robust framing members designed into today’s buildings, thus older exterior walls are subject to more flexibility from wind and other forces causing more cracking in both mortar and brick units.

Water Considerations

Many absorptive facade materials (concrete, sandstone, mortar, fired-clay masonry) can be seriously damaged by cyclical freezing and thawing of water entering the material through natural porosity or surface hairline cracks. These pockets of moisture can be trapped in facade walls whose freezing can expand, causing further cracking, spalling, or displacing adjacent masonry by a phenomenon called ice lensing. It should always be kept in mind, though, bricks can last 100 years, the sealants and caulks used around window/door openings and expansion joints only have useful lives of less than ten years and thus require replacement every ten years or so.

Another myth is all brick buildings need to have water repellant sealant applied periodically. Older buildings having load-bearing exterior walls with the original lime-based self-healing mortars typically do not need to be sealed. If a modern building with an anchored brick veneer system is deemed to need water repellant sealant, only siloxane-based products should be used to maintain breathability in the masonry wall. Never use sealants with acrylics or silicone that trap moisture in the masonry.

Therefore, the lesson to be learned about brick facade maintenance is even though masonry appears to be maintenance free, in reality, maintenance decisions should be based on knowledge and technical understanding. In older buildings, boards should seek advice from those with historic masonry experience who have worked with ‘limey’ mortars while veneer brick contractor applicants should know the advantages of re-pointing versus face grouting. With some research and planning, boards can make myth-busting maintenance decisions.

Article written by Jack Carr, P.E., R.S., LEED-AP, Criterium Engineers
Published in Condo Media
Download a PDF Version of this Condo Media article