An unwelcome guest? Water damage in your home: A two part series

PART ONE: PREVENTION OF FUTURE WATER DAMAGE

Wth an average rainfall of 445 mm per year, it would seem disproportionate the number of calls I get from people asking for recommendations for water damage control. With a similar climate and terain as Italy, why is it (other than in cases of severe neglect) that old Italian villas do not suffer from this infliction, whereas in Israel it is prevalent?

The answer is simple and was provided by my wonderful Technion Alumni Enigneer & Contractor,

"There are NO shortcuts when doing good work, it takes time and skill." Too often clients or builders pressure for quick and low-cost building. Constructing a home is challenging, if done properly the home's maintenance should not be.

An average 350 sq meter home, with 100, meters alloted as basement and two additional floors, would run from 150-200,000 NIS for complete constsruction home Isolation (this includes exterior, porches, walkways,basement, interior, and roof). This process also takes additional building time as various implementation stages are employed, such as an analysis of the soil and land slop.

This survey tests the different levels of ground moisture and water, to allow the engineer to implement the proper planning for the home's prep. Is the soil "fat soil" that collects water and moves - if so, a procedure to compact the soil before laying any foundation will neurtalize this. Is the water such that it needs to be treated? What level of Sealing should be provided? Will there be hydrostatic pressure do to the slopage that will cause water saturation in heavy rainfalls? There is no "One size fits all" solution, each plot of land and each home design requires it's own protocol. It is important to choose a reputed and experienced profesional for construction,

The good news is that there are some very reliable professionals and techniques that you could look for. Feel free to contact me with such inquiries for recommendations.

In commercial construction there are government regulated standards and independantly hired consultants whose responsibility is to be sure those codes are met. Unfortunatly, there are no such regulations for privatly built homes. That is, unless you have a team member, be it the engineer, project manager, or contractor that in the very drawing stages of the project takes into account the applicable Isolation that is suitable for this particular site and house. Normally, it is the Project manager whose is best able to regulate the implementation.

The basic rule is: ALL PARTS OF THE HOUSE THAT COME IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE GROUND SHOULD BE SEALED PROPERLY.

Often this begins with 12 meter deep pooured concrete mixed with a special sealant. This allows for ground movement and erosion issues to remain at bay. A shallow foundation that is also without such sealant can cause serious damage later on.

Surface preparation is also vital. For decades the Hbitomnim materials were employed, they are highly eleastic and provide thermal expansion. In the past decade, a newer plaster material Htzimntit was introduced which is more rigid with high thermal expansion. The combination of these two totally differenct based materials together has to be monitored to be sure that there is a proper connection between that layers. If not, there can be thermal movment between them resulting in cracks down the line.

Another key consideration in Isolation is balconies, enrty paths, stairs, doors steps, and paved areas. These areas absorb moisture from the ground and conduct it into the interior walls of the house. These should be properly sealed from underneath.

The roof should feature TWO sheets of insulation, these should be installed with heat for better adherence . In addition, waterproofing material can be spread on the roof in case a tile cracks or moves. The quality of the roof tile, i's shape and weight should be chosen accordingly. Proper drainage for rain is essential and should be regularly maintained. The slant of the roof is important as well.

Proper basement waterproofing combines liqued rubber to lock out water. Also, insulation panels should be installed. Simple Damp proofing by applying a wet asphalt solution is not enough, by any means. Drainage should be incorporated as well. The goal is to properly seal from outside as to avoid having to try to repair from the inside later on.

Next post will be regarding water damage issues.......Do let me know if this post was helpful.