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Current NZ Building Code Handbook Online

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Are you building, renovating, buying a house or touching structural eliments of a building envelope in NZ?

You can now access the current copy of the NZ building code act below, to determine if the work you are about to undertake (or to clarify an existing situation you would like know about), is in compliance with what the current building acts states.

A building design that complies with a Compliance Document must be in line and comply with the related Building Code provisions for the type of work being undertaken in order to be signed off.

If you are buying a house, most pre-purchase building inspectors with assess a home to the current building act.

If you are looking for alternative solutions to comply with the building code, or having issues complying with the code for already completed work, you can read more about the process to comply HERE…

For readers of this website, here are some fast links to particular areas of the  NZ building code you may be interested in:

Read the Whole Code Here

Throughout the document, you can search for and find the various rules & building code for: Bathrooms, Balustrades, Decks, Drainage, Definitions, Dryers, Earthquakes, Stairs, Toilets, Sheds, Fences,  Handrails, Carports, Fire Places, Handrails & Heights, Joist Spans and Hangers, For Kitchens, Lighting, Plumbing, Pool Fences, Parking, Retaining Walls, Roof, Ramps, Range Hoods, Smoke Detectors, Steps, Toilets, Ventilation, Wall Insulation, Water Heaters, Windows (Existing and Double Glazed), Water Pressure, and general New Zealand building code inspection requirements.

Methane Leaks Detected Using Infrared Camera

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Here are some sample photos we captured during a thermographic survey of a landfill site in NZ, in search of methane leaks and thin capping over the fill.

We were contacted by the project managers of the landfill to assist in detecting any signs of methane gas leaking through the surface of the capping over the fill. The compacted dirt capping is there to prevent oxygen being drawn into the fill from the suction of the well pipes. Oxygen can reduce the effect of processing methods when converting the methane into electricity at their onsite plant.

We also used methane detection equipment and a grid system for confirmation if the thermal imaging camera was seeing the methane gas leaks, or the breaches in the capping. (Detector provided by Envco Global).

In the image above, the yellow areas indicate a clear surface temperature difference (anomaly) when compared to surrounding ground temperature.

Due to the nature of the anomaly in this infrared image, it appears there is thin capping in this area over a wider area (When compared with the methane leak in the first image which indicates an isolated area).

In summary, the survey of the site was successful, with over 40 areas marked for further remediation work and thicker capping. The majority of the thermal inspection was done in the dark, starting at 5am in the morning when the air was coolest, therefore allowing the surface temperature where the gas leaks were occurring to stand out in the camera (Maximum Delta-T).

Our methane gas leak detection system using an infrared camera and methane gas detector is a simple and quick method to pinpoint any hot spots on the ground, even in areas where the grass or schrubs are over grown.

Give us a call today to discuss your project, and get a free quote over the phone.

What Causes Mould on Curtains

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Have you got a HUGE  health hazard covering your windows?

Mouldy curtains can be very unhealthy, and you wouldn’t even suspect it. Curtains are normally very absorbent to moisture, and act like a big sponge to any moist air in the room… especially bedrooms. Once the mould starts to grow on the back of curtains, you ‘officially’ have mould spores flying around the room when you open up the curtains. Not very healthy!

What causes mould to grow on curtains?

Apart from moist air in the room, it’s the condensation on windows that cause bad mould issues. Wet windows are sitting right next to the curtains and basically transfer wet air directly onto the curtains, nets or blinds… especially when they touch the window! Single glazed windows don’t help the cause either.

So how do you stop condensation which causes mold?

You can try 2 very popular products called:

‘Curtain Magic Mould Remover’ and…

‘Condensation Magic’. 

VIEW THESE EXCELLENT KIWI PRODUCTS IN ACTION HERE!

At the end of the day, there are so many cases where home owners are living and sleeping in a rooms full of floating airbourne toxic black mould spores and they don’t do anything about it! Take action today, and breathe easy tomorrow.

Options for Fixing and Selling a Leaky Home

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Options for Fixing & Selling a Leaky Home

There are so many home owners that either know they have a leaky home (and a leaking bank balance as a result), or they are worried they live in one and aren’t sure how to find out. The other portion of people have their head in the sand and don’t want to know.

For the ‘head in the sand’ home owners:

Just because you’ve seen one small area in the house that looks like a leak is showing itself, it certainly doesn’t mean the rest of the home is leaking. In fact, it could only be a minor joinery issue in that one window, or a flashing failure at a junction in one small area that has caused the issue. It could be something as minor as ‘movement’ that has caused the ‘problem’ and it’s a simple fix. Yes, you may need to replace some timber frame in that area, but that’s very simple for a builder to do a target fix… it’s quick and easy in some cases! Just put a quick call into the council before you touch your home structurally, as rules may vary in different areas.

Do you think about it all the time? … “I hope this isn’t a leaky home?”. The annoyance of wondering all the time can be sorted out within a couple of hours with a quick moisture test. Maybe your partner keeps harping on about it, and that’s annoying you also? (We hear of this situation all the time!). For the sake of a few hundred dollars, you can get it looked at from a non-biased point of view from a company that doesn’t sell recladding services or building repair work, and has been in the business of moisture testing for years. That’s right, we don’t sell you anything at the end of the inspection.

Got a leak you can see?

Before you hit any panic buttons, or your hair turns grey at the thought of it, why not get someone around to open up that section of wall to take a look. Usually a builder can open a section of gib board within 15 minutes and this allows you to get a direct look at the timber. 50% of the time the actual structural integrity of the timber frame behind the wall is Ok, but there is moisture in the insulation and possibly some black mould on the timber.

Before you do open up your walls (sounds daunting, but it’s not), get a leak test done just in case a similar area on another section of wall has the same issue. This will allow the builder to explore those areas at the same time, which will save you money.

We’ve had cases where the home owner was sure they lived in a leaky home and wanted to sell it, but it was only a few windows leaking and the issues were sorted out real quick from the internal side without touching the cladding or taking out windows!

Options for fixing a leaky home:

This is a case by case basis, but as of 2011, there now ways to repair target areas of a leaky home without having to get a reclad… and the council will be happy with it. We can put you in touch with a company that states they have approval from the council to treat timber without recladding!

Thermal Imaging Inspection Cost

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How much does a thermal imaging inspection cost?

Infrared inspection costs can vary depending on what type of imaging you require. Here are the most common types of inspections we perform weekly:

  • Pre purchase building, moisture and leak detective inspections
  • Infrared electrical inspections of switchboards
  • Pre sale house moisture testing for clients preparing to sell their home
  • ‘Piece of mind’ check ups to catch any issues with a house or commercial building before any hidden problems create further extensive damage.

So what are the costs?

Prices vary based on the size of the house, or in the case of electrical thermographic surveys, how many switchboards need infrared testing.

General leak detections vary between $220 up to $300… depending on how long the job takes.

Full house inspection costs can range from $300 for a small house, right up the $600+ for a larger house, especially when there is reporting and extensive invasive testing required. Some diagnosed leaky home inspection costs can be up to $1500.

As you can see, the variation in costs is quite wide for thermography inspections depending on application, but on average you are looking at around $450+GST for an average size home.

Some companies may offer inspections cheaper, but they could have a hidden agenda, like upselling repair services etc.

Damp Testing Houses in NZ

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One of the most unhealthy problems you can encounter in your house is dampness problems.

Damp is invisible to the naked eye, but you can smell it (can cause allergies) & you can see it (in the form of mould). What about the moisture in the air? Is using a dehumidifier enough?

The issue with dehumidifiers is they are expensive to run, and they can only do a small area. Also, if you have condensation all over your windows, then you are introducing plenty more moisture  into the air, and certainly into the curtains where it gets held… and further causing mould growth. (Read more here about mould on curtains – click here)

Unless you have a permanant moisture reduction system installed and double glazed windows, then you may be ‘stuck’ with the moisture problem in your home… and damp could be getting into all your furnishings etc.

All the above equals a very unhealthy damp home!

Damp testing can either be ‘air sampling’, which involves taking an air sample and having it lab tested for potential black mould spores. Or, you can have your walls tested to see if there is any dampness behind the wall. We can assist you with both of the above scenarios.

Otherwise it could be a straight out leak that you can’t see. We use a damp test meter and equipment to determine moisture meter levels. Call today for more info!

How to Sell a Leaky Building

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How to Sell a Leaky Building

Our core business in detecting signs of leaky buildings for buyers, sellers and builders who are in the business of carrying out remedial work (Pre renovation inspections). When your testing houses for moisture on a daily basis as a business, you come across some interesting scenarios… and some creative solutions to problems!

Frustrated Plaster Home Owner Sells House Fast!!

Interesting story: How frustrating do you think it would be if the potential buyer of your property hired a building inspector who then went on to detect leaking problems in your external walls… only to find out once the wall was opened up for further investigation, there is no signs of moisture anywhere?

Well… we recently tested a house on the North Shore where this exact scenario happened, but in this case the home owner replaced the gib board after finding out no problems existed behind the wall after the 1st building inspection had detected problems. He then did a nice plaster & paint job ready to sell the home all over again… but this time with certainty it’s not a leaky building.

What happens next? A new buyer comes along with their building inspection company and moisture testing guy, only to get the same high 20%+ moisture reading. Another sale down the drain… and the timber frame isn’t even wet!

How did he end up selling the house?

Through pure frustration, he ripped off all the gib board and pulled out the insulation and left it like that!!! The very next potential buyer ended up buying the home for the asking price. Why? Because they could physically see the timber frame wasn’t rotted, therefore they felt certain they had avoided buying a leaky building, regardless of all the negative publicity in the media about the common problems with plaster cladding systems. The deal was that the home owner would re-gib, plaster and paint before the new owners took possession once the deal was unconditional. Not a bad tactic hey?

This is not a common method to sell a plaster house, but it worked well is this case. Unfortunately, these are the lengths some sellers who own plaster homes have to go to, but that’s all part of the property ‘game’ isn’t it? SOLD!

Moisture Detection Companies and Services NZ

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With the leaky building crisis in full swing, and the building industry slowing down again, there is now a glut of new building inspection and moisture detection companies entering the market.

How do you know who the ‘newly registered’ home inspection companies are in the past year or so? Simple. Just go to the companies office website and do a search for their company name… that’s the fast and most accurate way to REALLY tell how long they’ve been in the business for!

We pride ourselves on being one of the longer standing moisture detection companies in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch (operating NZ Wide) with some of NZ’s most high profile companies on our books, including several councils and publically listed companies who use our services time and time again.

What’s happened recently in the NZ building inspection services industry, is builders started to run out of physical building work, and as a result they suddenly turned into inspectors.

What happens next? They start inspecting homes with a potential ‘hidden’ agender. We called up 1o companies who have started inspecting houses in the past 2 years and asked them if they fixed any problems they found. 8 out of the 10 house inspection companies surveyed said “YES”, or they could refer someone who could. 5 of them did not carry a thermal imaging camera.

So now… is it really an independant inspection if they also sell repair services also? Possibly not. This goes for pre sale, pre purchase moisture detection and building inspection services.

The way we’ve built our company over the years, is by sticking to a policy of non-biased inspections, which means it makes absolutely no difference to us if we find zero leaks, or 10 leaks using our leak detection equipment and techniques. In addition, we do these moisture inspections with reports at the best possible price possible, based on the area where you live.

Thermal Imaging Consultants – Auckland

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Are you looking for an experienced thermal imaging consultancy firm in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and everywhere inbetween?

Now operating internationally!

Over the years, our thermography services have been commissioned by some of NZ’s largest public companies and insurance firms on a routine basis (mainly for electrical and mechanical thermographic surveys), and as a result we are now acting as thermal imaging consultants and further being deployed internationally to carry out infrared inspections, particularly in the oil industry.

Our infrared consultancy business has been experiencing steady growth, and has built a solid reputation in the electrical and oil industry in New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and now potentially into India in the very near future.

If you are reading this website from a country outside on NZ, it is important for you to know we are now available to operate internationally with flexibility to service your requirements at short notice, in all areas and applications of thermography. We also have a range of thermography consultants with vast experience across the USA that we deal with on a regular basis, therefore allowing us to offer you infrared imaging services at short notice with minimal travel time in both Nth and Sth America.

Email Dean at quote@findaleak.co.nz for all international enquiries.

Buying at Auction Costs & Tips

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Are you buying at action?

Sadly, many people get ‘caught out’ at auctions in NZ because they don’t know what to look out for.

It’s almost sickening how many properties we end up moisture testing in NZ for clients who ‘just purchased’ at an auction, only to move into the house and find signs of leaks (most of which were hidden under carpet and behind furniture etc). Most of them ‘thought’ the house looked fine from what they could see… before they purchased the house. In addtion, they thought they got a good deal!! I wonder why?

Basic buying at auction costs and tips:

Is getting a thermal imaging leak inspection a cost, and money I could potentially loose before an auction ? Yes it is… but don’t miss this step! It’s AMAZING how many times clients say to me “We didn’t want to pay for an inspection incase we didn’t win the auction”. Just plain silly thinking don’t you think? Absolutely.

99% of my clients have it written into their property contract to get a building inspection and/or moisture test prior to buying the house, so why wouldn’t you do the same in an auction scenario?

What should you look for prior to buying at auction? (From a leak detective’s point of view)

  • Look for swollen skirting boards
  • Look for discoloured carpet grip in the corners under the carpet. This will most likely mean a leak is coming in from somewhere
  • Look for any visual signs of joinery failures
  • Look for any bubbling of paintwork under windows, on ceiling, in bathrooms and on just about every surface of internal and  external walls
  • Cracks in cladding and around windows
  • Lack of ground clearence
  • Any leaks around plumbing, such as under sinks and in the corners of shower screens.

These tips listed above are only a hand full of what to look for in your initial ‘visual’ inspection. The next step is to get an experienced thermal imaging company to take a look using infrared technology to detect issues you will not see, like these ones… coupled with experience in moisture testing nz houses.

Do not buy at auction until you are 110% sure there are no moisture issues in the house… and we say this with certainty after seeing so many home buyers getting caught out buying lemons. If anything, we can do a verbal inspection for you (no report), which is cheaper and will give you certainty when you buy. If you are happy with the inspection results and win the auction, you can then request a report for a small fee.