Inspection

Observation

The Inspection process begins with a thorough look at the situation. First, notes are made of the extent and location of water damage. Even where there is not a noticeable drip, moisture will cause discoloration, paint blistering, black mold spots, drywall "bloom," swelling and splitting wood, musty odors, etc. Next is an examination of the structure to see where and how water might be getting in. Is there visible damage or deterioration on the exterior? Were materials properly applied and joints lapped in the right direction? Are there barriers that keep water from easily running off?
For drainage problems, what is the overall slope of the property? What type of soil is present, especially adjacent to foundation walls or piers? Are there areas that trap water against the structure or allow surface water to flow into the crawlspace? Do downspouts or topography concentrate too much water in specific spots? These are just some of the factors that must be considered to pinpoint the cause and produce an effective solution.

Testing

Here a leak is recreated. The process uses a very low-tech approach: a hose with running water or the next level using higher water pressure. The process is to apply it to the correct precise locations for the proper length of time, and often there is more than one entry. Each one must be pinpointed. Sometimes the entry points are many feet from the visible evidence, because water will travel under the top layer of roofing or along rafters before making itself known. Starting with the lowest possibility and moving uphill, each test point must be verified as not leaking before moving on to the next, and this is done by precision monitoring of moisture levels and other indicators at the damage sites.

With drainage issues, each one is unique and it is usually not practical to recreate the problem with a hose, so we rely to an even greater degree on detailed inspection and analysis and on our experience from solving hundreds of these types of problems.

Proofing

This is another round of testing that takes place after any repairs. It generally goes much quicker because it's not necessary to eliminate the non-leaking areas. Any spots that were leaking before are tested again, and if no moisture gets in, that specific leak can be considered fixed.

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