News & Resources

How Does Sheltering Affect Wind Pressures?

Posted by in Weather Events, Wind Damage | June 01, 2015

The magnitude of the pressures generated by wind on a building are not only correlated to the speed of the wind passing by, but they are also affected by the degree of the exposure of the building to the direction… Read More →

Cracking from Lintel Lift on a Single-Family Dwelling

Posted by in Buying/Maintaining a Home, Cracking, Masonry | May 18, 2015

The above photograph shows a pronounced stairstep crack emanating from the upper corner of a window in a brick wall on the gable end of a single-family dwelling.  By pronounced I mean obvious, easily seen. In the subject case, a… Read More →

“I’ve Never Seen Any Shingles Like THIS Before!”

Posted by in Buying/Maintaining a Home, Roof, Shingles, Structural terms | May 11, 2015

“I’ve never seen any shingles like THIS before!” We have heard this comment more than a few times, even from roofers.  What was being referred to are the shingles seen in the feature photo and Figures WRS-1 and WRS-2.  These… Read More →

What If I Don’t Fix My Leaking Basement?

Posted by in Basements, Concrete, Masonry | May 04, 2015

What can happen if I don’t properly address groundwater infiltration through my basement wall?  That is, assuming that the basement or foundation wall is not overloaded by the combination of earth and excessive groundwater pressures, what could possibly go wrong?… Read More →

Inadequate Roof Flashing

Posted by in Buying/Maintaining a Home, Construction & Shortcuts, Roof, Shingles, Water Sources | April 27, 2015

We are often contacted to evaluate the source of moisture or water that is causing apparent mold growth, decay, moisture staining, or another type of water damage.  Sometimes the cause of the moisture or water source is a little easier… Read More →

What Can We Tell from This Photo? (Case Study 7)

Posted by in Cracking, Masonry, Simple Forensic Methods | April 20, 2015

  This concrete block wall exhibits an unusual pattern of cracking.       What can we tell from these two photos? The line of the horizontal joints and the line at the top of the wall indicate that wall… Read More →

Do Leaf Guards Have an Effect on Icicles?

Posted by in Roof, Water Sources, Winter Concerns | April 13, 2015

Many, many years ago my father-in-law asked me about any detrimental effects of leaf guards on gutters.  Being over eighty he had decided that it was time to stop climbing a ladder to clean his gutters. I told him that… Read More →

What Can We Tell from This Photo? (Case Study 6)

Posted by in Simple Forensic Methods, Wood | April 06, 2015

  During our moisture source evaluations we sometimes observe other conditions that we bring to the attention of the owner.  Such is the case for this week’s topic. In the featured photo and Figure FT-1 we see a fractured web… Read More →