I've repaired it already, why is this water damage recurring?
If the same water damage recurs, then the water damage problem was never corrected properly. Sure, the damage may have been removed and new material put in its place, but the problem still exists. So don’t have the same repair done again.
It is important that the contractor or handyman that you hire understands why this sort of thing happens. Where is the water getting in? Is the flashing installed correctly? Are the windows leaking? These and many more questions need to be asked by the repair person if he/she is going to find the problem. Having an understanding of proper building techniques and why they are needed, is invaluable.
I never assume!
When dealing with water damage, and the subsequent dry rot that often occurs, it is a good idea to test the repair before putting things back together and calling it done. If the leak happens when it rains, simulate the rain. Water the roofing or siding as if it is raining – hard! If the water is coming from a drain leak, test it under extreme conditions. Try to get it to leak!
A contractor would be doing the client an injustice by just pulling off the damaged building material and slapping on a new piece, it will happen again.
Let’s look at some siding repair at an apartment community in Cameron Park that was done without solving the problem.
Here we can see that the siding had been cut horizontally and new z-bar flashing and T1-11 siding filled in the repair area. If done correctly, this is an acceptable repair. Visually this is not the best answer, but it drastically reduces the cost of repair.
We can see in the photo that the siding below the flashing is new but the wood is already water damaged. Why? The problem was never solved. Water is getting behind the siding and causing the same problem all over again. I am certain that if the siding and roof had been tested before the repairs were done, water would have been discovered inside the wall.
I was not called out to look at this problem, it just caught my eye. If I were to climb up a ladder and check, the source of the problem would become evident. This is important to know when choosing a contractor or repair person to correct dry rot and water damage.
If you have a recurring water damage or dry rot problem, be sure that you hire someone with knowledge of building techniques, experience in solving these types of problems and willing to test the repair before rebuilding.
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