So, here we are, almost at the very end of the job, and big, wet rainstorm comes through the Bay Area and soaks the new house.
No problem; we’re all closed up to weather; have been since last January!
Uh oh; no we’re not. Since last January, the sprinkler guys have been at the house; and they ran vertical risers to carry high pressure water to the 3rd and 2nd floor—and they didn’t caulk the penetrations.
Since the highest was 45 feet up the side of the house, no one looked at it except them—and the water got into the wall (two days worth of wet, West Pacific rain, driven at up to 40 mph sideways). Going up a ladder showed the other workmen and me that; they’ve been since caulked (locking the barnyard door…)
Predictably, the water worked its way to in the inside and blistered the brand new paint job off of the interior sheet rock; the plaster in the ceiling cove cracked too.
So, while we wait for the foreman to come back from vacation and the full crew to start up again, what should I be thinking?
Does the entire wall have to get opened up and dried out?
Do we have to redo the entire sheet rock job?
Is there a rot risk?
The particulars of construction are:
Outer layer: doug fir clap board on a doug fir frame
Middle layer: 2X6 and 6X6 beams (old growth)
Closest to interior layer: sheet rock with latex paint on the 2nd floor; 1st floor, where water has also dribbled down to is plaster on lath, both on the vertical wall and the cove…
Thoughts?
NotaClue
Replies
This sounds just like the thread where the plumber spilled the purple primer into the acrylic shower.
I'd be calling the sprinkler guys back and asking them how they want to proceed. You'll take a check on the spot for the damages that will have to be repaired.
No telling how bad the water damage in the walls really is until you open up. My vote is to start in the middle of the damage and work outwards until you are satisfied you got it all, then decide if you want to carry the demo to the corners rather than a middle of the road patch job.
I was afraid of this.
My instincts tell me we have to open the wall to see what happened.
My hopes were trying to tell me we didn't have to do that.
What do you think the contractor will do?
NotaClue
I missed the part in your first post where you said the foreman and crew was on vacation. Does this mean you are a worker bee?
If so, your course of action is to bring up the details you have noticed to the foreman, who may or may not have to bring it up to the (his) GC who will make the decision to involved the sprinkler subs , ignore or cover the problem or do the right thing and have it fixed properly no matter who actually left the barn door open in the first place.
You'll get your paycheck in any case but your work ethic is above reproach. Hopefully your concern will be mirrored by a conscientious foreman and GC and the customer will benefit, as they should.
Is there any insulation in the wall?
'Nemo me impune lacesset'
No one will provoke me with impunity
I'm renovating a house that had a water pipe burst in winter. Water probably wasn't 6" deep on the first floor, however as I've pulled the drywall off, I've found spots of mold thoughout the cavities (to the 8' ceilings).
If I was living in the house, I'd pull the wet drywall and make sure the cavities are really dried out and not housing mold factories.
And as someone else mentioned, I think the sprinkler guy should be paying the tab on this one.
jt8
"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful." -- John R. Wooden
a. Photograph, Photograph, photograph.
b. Communicate to GC and Sprinkler Guys in writting ASAP.
c. Call the GC (Boss Man) to witness problem.
d. Call Sprinkler guys too. Best if they are there with GC.
e. Rip open wall ASAP so water doesn't keep traveling down and mold growth does not begin.
f. GC and Sprinkler Guys/ Rep should be there when wall is opened so they see first hand Before and Inside.
g. Exterior wall - therefore insulation is ruined and has absorbed water which it will slowly release. My guess first floor insulation may be damp even though sole plate and subfloor will minimize this.
h. Once the interior wall is open, apply some xpanding foam to the exterior wall penetration. No need to go through this again if the exterior caulk fails in 5 or 10 years.
F.
There he goes—one of God's own prototypes—a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.
—Hunter S. Thompson
from Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
Uh oh.
I feared as much.Well, hole has been caulked, let's see what else happens on Monday when everyone gets back to the site.There was not insulation in the wall---it's the original, untouched 1889 wall (wood, plaster lath).I'm not a worker bee, I'm the owner!
The painters were finishing up and called me to let me know about the leak...
The GC got out there from his Christmas dinner and brought a ladder and a crewman; they found the leak and caulked it; we've been waiting for the full crew to get back in to figure out what to do next; I think everyone's hoping that only a very little water got into the wall and just letting it dry will be enough---no insulation, plaster (except where it's new sheetrock---obviously that will need to change) and only a small, lateral hole that got 1-2 days of rain.
But how do we tell without opening the wall?
Argh.
NotAClue
But how do we tell without opening the wall?
Look around the outside. If you can find a hole that got 2 days of rain, you will need to take care of the situation inside the walls.
If it was my house, AND, I was willing to take the risk of mold. You gotta understand, that after it's dry, mold will not grow. I would remove the baseboard, cut a small hole in the plaster, and put a shop-vac blowing into the hole for two days.
The sprinkler guys would have to replace the drywall below the hole down to the footings.
They would also have to flash the exterior penetration, not just caulk it.
SamT
Caulk is not a permanent solution. Keep that in mind.The fix should be demanded of the compny who caused the damage. tHEY SHOULD HAVE INSURANCE TO COVER COSTS. dOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUTMENT
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This is all excellent advice and that's what we'll do.
Argh.
NotaClue
Dont sign anything.
Mold remediation can run into the thousands. Actually its a very hot item in the judgement department. The GC could end up making payments to you for the rest of his life after the doctors get in it . There can be no sign off of responsebility.
As Piffin stated caulking is not long term . That caulking job is not a fix . This could get very expensive .
If you have any problems , dont hestate to bring in a lawyer and a home inspector.
Tim
Where are you in the Bay area? You want to make sure this problem is fixed completely. If (when) you sell the place, you're required to disclose this sort of information and it will cost you if you can't show that it was done right.