Defect / Water Leak Remediation

A turn-of-the-last-century house in La Center Washington. Yep, that is like 113 years old. Old enough to have had its windows upgraded a time or two.

What began as a window-sash replacement job (those are Andersen brand windows), turned into a water-remediation job when the repair of several window sills required that the window jamb assemblies be removed.

Upon removing the jamb assemblies, it was discovered that the rough-opening components beneath the windows were also damaged.

This led to the removal of some of the siding beneath said window openings which led to the discovery of extensive wall damage. This job went on for weeks as we made our way around the house opening and closing exterior walls.

As anybody who works construction in the great Pacific Northwest knows, you have to be prepared for any contingency related to the weather.

If you click on the photo, you may be able to see the water stains on the plywood sheathing that corresponds with the vertical sides of the window opening. And no, the black Grace Vycor flashing membrane was not beneath the exterior trim when we removed it. That is something which we installed before this photo was taken.

And then, upon removing the plywood, we frequently discovered that the structural components were damaged as well. Again, if you click on the photo, you may be able to see the dark-brown and black wall-studs, indicating an advanced state of decay. And that white stuff? That is mold.

We are CSI Portland/Vancouver. Construction Scene Investigators. But instead of following the money, its follow the water stains.

And if you click on the photo, you can tell by the expression on David Castros face, that he takes his job in construction forensics very seriously.

O.K., but seriously, the science behind the proper application of exterior envelopes is not rocket-science, which is the real crime behind that which leads to the wanton destruction of folks exterior walls.