How can I tell if the building is leaky?
Summary:
How do you do your due diligence when inspecting or checking out an apartment that you plan to buy? Do you also check if the buildings have leaks? This podcast talks about how to spot a leaky building and the important things you need to check to find out if there are leaks.
The No. 1 Way to Spot if a Building will Leak
I often look at an apartment complex and think to myself yes there are no reported problems - but in a few years there is a good chance this apartment building will be leaky.
Now, I want to share with you why I’m thinking that, or more importantly what is the number one thing I’m looking for when looking at an apartment complex to see if I think there will be leaky issues.
Cracks.
Yes small cracks. I don’t mean cracks where water is getting in. I mean small cracks in the cladding showing that something could be happening behind the cladding.
You see a lot of people will see cracks in a building or cladding and say ‘that’s because of movement, every building moves’.
Well in my opinion that is incorrect. The number one way to spot if a building is leaky, even if it isn’t reported as one, is cracks in the cladding.
This is often around windows, corners, or where one material meets another.
The cracks are often small, but what they often represent is expansion through water ingress. You see, when water gets in behind the cladding, it will often meet timber or another material; and if the water can’t get out a build up of moisture occurs. When you add water to a material it expands and cracks appear.
So when looking at an apartment, look around the windows, where the deck comes into the building; or look at the sealant that is joining the cladding; and if cracks are evident, beware and do some serious due diligence.
Or if it's really evident…. RUN
If you have any questions or you want to get in touch with an inspector or an expert in Auckland apartments, flick me an email at [email protected] or call +6421 424 892 and I’ll be happy to help you with your queries.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Good day, Andrew Murray here from the Apartment Specialists. Today, I'll be talking about leaky buildings. What is the number one way of spotting a leaking apartment? What I mean by this is a lot of apartments I look at and I see and I think it's going to have problems in a few years.I want to share with you what I'm actually looking at that makes me think that.
I thought of sharing with you the number one thing I look for when looking at an apartment or a complex really on the outside where the cladding is and makes me think there's going to be problems and there were cracks on it. Now, people might say there's always cracks and a lot people think cracks appear on the cladding on the outside of the apartment complex because of movement. That is not the case. In a lot of cases, most cracks are caused by moisture.
If we think about, water is getting in behind the cladding and is unable to get out, and this is generally because the fanning system isn't working. It might be that the material is meeting another material, water is getting in and can't get out. What happens is that creates moisture and when you've got moisture, that creates expansion. If you have say any cladding material, if you generally add water to it, it's going to get large. If behind that cladding is moisture which is causing expansion, that's going to push outwards, sideways, or whatever and might cause cracks.
When you're looking around the corners of windows where one type of material meets another, especially around decks at the top of the apartment complex. It's especially common with your sort of three, four, five storey apartment complexes. Ones which have had additions made to them that is, where you've had an old building that wasn't initially built to be an apartment complex. It was converted into apartments so a floor was added and things like that.
The number one thing is to look for cracks and if you see cracks in your area, be wary. Obviously, looking further but in most cases, I'd run. Anyway, I hope that helps. This is a short one.
Andrew Murray, Apartment Specialists.
Cheers!
If you have any questions or you want to get in touch with an inspector or an expert in Auckland apartments, flick me an email at [email protected] or call +6421 424 892 and I’ll be happy to help you with your queries.