Last week I removed about 40 SF of wallboard and insulation to investigate a water damage problem caused by some sloppy workmanship on the roof. (Which was recently remedied)
I found black mold everywhere and several square ft. of completely soaked and destroyed OSB (could easily poke a finger through some areas). And about 100 SF more of wallboard and insulation still needing to be replaced.
Here are the specifics: house is only three years old. Has complete brick exterior (no weep holes anywhere to be seen). All work will likely be covered by the roofer’s liability ins. (homeowner still in negotiations)
When the customer asked how the OSB would be replaced I said the only way it can be done is from the outside. He’s kinda upset about the prospect of any major brick re-work right next to the front entrance. However he wants everything done right.
I’m looking for some other insight about the OSB. What are your thoughts?
Replies
Ok, I'll bite. What's the purpose of the osb? Is it for shear strength? Then why couldn't it be installed on the inside face of the wall. You would have to bump out the electrical boxes an additional 1/2" and the door frames might take a little creative trim work, but it would leave the exterior brick intact.
Interesting thought about putting the OSB on the inside (thumbs up)
Next question for discussion, using this approach, should the damaged OSB come off? (Note: damage extends to rim joist) Or can it stay, after letting it dry thoroughly and treating the mold (inside only)?
Scott R.
Well the OSB is your sheathing beneath the brick, right? The brick is also tied in to support clips, so the wall can't really come down from inside too easy if you're thinking reverse engineering here. That was actually my first thought (Take the wall down, nail the OSB on, stand the wall back up) but now that I think about it, nevermind. I don't know what kind of insight to give. I think in college this is precisely the time I'd laugh, grab a brew, point a finger, and say "Dude, you're f****d" but that wouldn't be polite here. I think your only answer is what you're suspecting. Brick comes down, sheathing comes off, everything back up in reverse order. If you're lucky, the builder is still around, still uses the same mason, and still gets all his brick from the same place, and you have a reasonable chance of matching things up. The bright side is it's a small repair. At least you didn't have to yank the whole face of the house off.
You're right...forgot about the brick ties. Actually, the good news is that it's not his house and he's not the builder.
Here's a thought...if the back of the wall is fully exposed, would it be possible to re-attach the brick ties to the studs?
Edited 10/29/2002 8:15:15 AM ET by ELCID72
Seems to me that any repair work you're doing would only be temporary without taking care of the lack of weep holes. I would think that might be part of the moisture problem.
You go to a psychiatrist when you're slightly cracked, and keep going until you're completely broke.
One thing to remember is that bricks 'breathe'. That is to say that they let both air and water in because of their porous nature, and because of pressure differences in the cavity and the exterior (there's a whole lot of info out there on that). You have to have some sort of barrier between the brick and the studs, not only for the ties, but also to provide a surface to attach some sort of water resistant material (tar paper, membrane, etc) and base flashing. If the OSB isn't there for structural diaphram action, and cost has become a serious issue, you might want to look into using exterior grade gypsum with felt for added protection (the gray stuff often used on steel stud/brick buildings in the light commercial world). Best bet would be to use some sort of cementitious board behind the brick (it would take quite a while for the moisture to attack it).
Bricks walls with no weep holes (cotton cord, pvc channels, etc) is a problem waiting to happen. There needs to be a way to let the moisture out. Either the Mason screwed up, or the builder/specifier screwed up. Either way, there could be a lot of $$$$$$ involved. If there are problems in the area of wall you are looking at, there are probably a lot more! If possible, look into the original plans/specifications to see if the weeps are called for (I would sure think they were), and go from there.
Also - keep the owner up on the situation, it could really affect their health and their finances.
The brick job looks good at a distance but it was obviously done by someone who didn't know or care to do it right. One other "flaw" that I've seen in the brickwork are the windowsill bricks (I've forgotten the correct term) are set level, no slope to shed water.
So far general opinion is to remove the brick and OSB.
As much as I would like the work I think the builder should remedy the problem.
Scott R.
Boss, re cotton cord weep holes...I have seen that done here by some masons, and they pull the cord out after the mortar has set. They say the cord is used to keep the hole from filling with mortar on the backside. Do you leave the cord in place?
Not a brick mason, but I've always seen the cotton left in. It will wick up just fine until it eventually rots, then you're left with a hole. Either way does the job.
Jon Blakemore
Scott, Where are you located? I own an environmental consulting company in southern CA (we work all over CA and travel to various other states for larger projects) and we could certainly help with this problem.
I also think that there is no good option except removal of the bricks. The shear panel is one issue, but there also needs to be a moisture barrier (e.g. heavy tar paper) between the bricks and the structure. The water and mold have probably destroyed the existing moisture barrier.
Mold is a high liability issue, so do not leave the mold in place, and do not remove or disturb it without a negative pressure containment and workers in good respirators (you need a full OSHA respiratory protection program with medical exams, fit tests, and so forth). The best way to handle it is to have an abatement contractor with solid mold experience (the same people who remove asbestos or lead paint), do the work.
Edited 10/29/2002 11:15:30 PM ET by StephenMasek
Who said you can't have the job without the problems? Maybe yu can offer to consult with the homeowner to make sure that the builder fixes it properly. My curiosity would get the better of me, I would want to pull some of the bad OSB and see what was between it and the brick exterior. If no weep holes, then what sort of membrane it any? Was the whole house done this way? Might be a way bigger fix than anybody wants to think about. Good luck
Dan Still considering relocating?