The biggest cause of random leaks in a house is either movement or expansion and contraction. Obviously with an earthquake (such as the quake in Christchurch), the movement is furious so the chances of leaks sources being ‘created’ are very good. Your insurance policy might cover this under the earthquake clause in your contract (If you [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Here’s an interesting question that we get asked alot… “Can a house built with a cavity system and treated timber framing leak?” Yes it can. Please be aware that all homes leak at some stage… both brand new and old homes. You can either have internal or external leaking problems in the home, no matter what year it was [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Infrared Thermal Imaging Clearly Identifies Leaking Internal Gutter Insufficient butanol join overlap causes major headache for home owner! One of the very common signs that you could have a leak or moisture in your ceiling space (normally flat roofs), is you can see signs of the gib board pulling back down over the screws that [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Leaking balconies can be a serious danger, especially if its been leaking slowing for some time before you notice it. There are plenty of ‘real’ stories about balconies collapsing under load (too many people standing on it at one time), but the most common cause of balcony issues isn’t the load, it’s the fact that the waterproofing has [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Can a small bathroom leak really be that destructive? Absolutely… here’s what most home owners don’t realise: In the infrared photo below, you will see two different leaks on the same kitchen ceiling… and neither could be seen visually. Here’s what the scenario was with this inspection. There was a bathroom directly above this ceiling, and when [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Finally – The Launch of Fix A Leak.co.nz! Due to client demand, The launch of our new website FixALeak.co.nz has now taken place and is live! This website outlines simple and easy ways to fix common types of leaks… fast and cheap! This is a free service. Why did we start this new website? We do all [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Do you have a musty or damp smell in certain rooms of your home? Is the source of the problem obvious? On a regular basis we get calls from home owners saying they have noticed a damp musty smell appear in their home. If you have noticed this in your home, there is a problem somewhere… [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )There have been a number clients recently who have commented that it must be frustrating at times being a ’leak finder’… The answer is simple… after doing many many inspections and seeing many different scenarios, it becomes easy. This would be the same as asking someone who fixes computers how easy it is to extract lost computer data out of a hard drive… [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Using the right leak detection methods can save lots of time with any type of leak! This week I was called out to a leak detection job in Whitford, and when I arrived, the client told me they had been chasing this leak for 5 years! They had a deck replaced and re-waterproofed, roof flashings [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Detecting water leaks in waterproofing membranes with pinpoint accuracy has just become a reality here in NZ thanks to the latest electronic field mapping leak detection service. Flood testing used to be the only effective way to determine if/where a membrane was leaking… but there are plenty of downsides to using this method of leak [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )With so much rain in NZ, roof leak detection and repairs are the most common request we get! To start with, you need a company who has specific knowledge about how to repair roof leaks, not just a roofing company who only sells complete re-roofing options! Simple. A roofing company could try to sell you a complete new roof, [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Moisture or leaks infiltrating your wall frame studs can cause problems, regardless if the timber is treated or not. One of the most common questions I get asked when someone calls me for a pre purchase thermal leak inspection, is “Should I worry about getting a leak/moisture test because the timber is treated?”. YES! For [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Does your real estate agent have a good poker face? Home buyers… there are still real estate agents in NZ who are willing to say whatever it takes to get pen on paper. Most agents are above board and ethical… but you get the odd one who needs to make money and has a good [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Are you considering buying a solid block house? Is there any point getting it checked for water leaks? The general perception about homes made of solid block, is that they will never fall down and won’t leak… so there’s no real need to get a pre purchase leak inspection before buying. This is not true… you [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Are you living in a plaster cladding home, or a house with no wall cavity system? One common issue we regularly come across is where home owners have pushed a garden up against the house to a higher level than the base of the cladding. There should be a sufficient gap between your ground level [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )If you are seriously in the hunt to buy a bargain property, just be careful that you don’t actually get more than what you bargained for! In this case, a ‘first time’ unexperienced buyer of leaky buildings hired me to moisture test a property after he had already payed a non-refundable deposit (auction). If you see any advertising [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Home buyers beware… Window condensation channel failure causes leak issues. Have you ever noticed how leaks seem to appear under the corners of windows more often then any other place in the home? They appear all the time, and usually you can’t see 70% of them with the naked eye! Not only that, most of [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )One of the most common indicators of a leak is a swollen skirting board. Commonly referred to as a ‘blowen skirting’. The key is to find the leak source before it gets to the point of doing damage, but that’s not always possible. So where is it coming from in the first place? The following thermal [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Should a roof valley flashing leak? The sky is the limit when it comes to ‘mystery’ leaks in houses! We have found many different types of leaks in NZ homes, and some you just don’t expect. Some people seem to think buying a good old fashioned brick and tile home is a safe bet, and that [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )How you noticed water dripping in from the top of a window frame? Is the water coming down from the floor above due to a window joinery failure or roof leak, or has the head flashing failed somehow? Recently a customer called us because he had water dripping through a wooden window frame. In this case the [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Recently I was hired by the Auckland City Council to check a leak that was coming out of a light fitting in one of their buildings. Below is an interesting infrared image of the light fitting in question, which clearly shows you how water can track ‘sideways’ from the leak entry point. In addition to [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Does the home you’re purchasing have a chimney flue? Did you look on the ceiling to determine if it’s leaking or not? Below is an infrared photo of what a ‘hidden’ leak looks like in an NZ home. During a routine infrared moisture inspection today in Glen Eden, the thermal imaging camera instantly revealed moisture [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Does the home you’re about to buy have a leaky roof? Don’t be fooled by freshly painted or ‘neat & tidy’ ceilings when buying a home in NZ… we’ve found too many leaks with the infrared camera that certainly couldn’t be seen with the human eye. If your building inspection report comes back saying “there is a cracked tile [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Buying a home without a leak detection inspection is very risky these days. Recently in South Auckland I did a post purchase thermal imaging leak test on a home… what a result! (see photo below) Why was it a ‘post’ purchase inspection, rather than a ‘pre’ purchase inspection? Can you believe the seller wouldn’t let the potential buyers inside [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )If you’ve ever doubted getting an infrared building inspection, then this should change your mind! *Building inspection company misses obvious leaks* (Above: The infrared photo in the centre shows a leak tracking the lighting wire… and hence looks like it’s turning a corner. Only seen using our infrared equipment). Out of all the thermal imaging inspections I done, [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Have you had your roof pressure washed lately? This leak photo below may be of interest to you. Does the water blasting company guarantee no leaks? Yesterday I inspected the home of an elderly lady who was in a panic about a leak that ‘suddenly appeared’ on her ceiling. She had just hired a company to pressure blast all the [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Do you have ranch slider(s) in your home, or the home you’re looking to buy? The 2 photos below demonstrate what a leak around a ranch slider door looks like… and the damage it can cause! The first infrared photo below shows a leak I found, thanks to a failure in the joinery on the second floor [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Aluminium joinery that isn’t straight can cause leaks… and you usually won’t know until it’s too late! So how far has the leak extended? Recently I was conducting infrared leak inspections in Picton, Nelson and Blenheim area. One of the home owners had smelt signs of moisture in one of the rooms, but couldn’t see any issues. Within 30 [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )It can be sometimes be difficult to pin point the entry point of atrium leaks, due to the vast amount of glass and joinery involved. So is there a faster way to find these leaks? The infrared photo below shows a leak I recently found thanks to a perished window rubber higher up the glass. The [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Do you have a flat roof leak in your home? Has a leak appeared in a random place on the ceiling below? There is nothing more confusing then a flat roof leak. Put simply, it could be coming from anywhere. So what can you do about a leak coming from the roof… tear down the ceiling [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Do you need to find a leak, but aren’t sure where it’s coming from? Thermal imaging is a fast track option to finding leaks. Below you will see 23 different types of leaks we’ve found in NZ homes with our thermal imaging camera (normally during pre purchase house inspections). The majority of these leaks were not visible to the human [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Have you noticed water leaking onto your carpet at the bottom of a wall? Water can travel sideways, so the leak isn’t always coming from the ‘obvious’ area… Whilst doing a leak inspection with the thermal imaging camera at an office building recently, I came across a separate leak that the company had no idea was even there. [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Don’t panic if your home has leaks… it doesn’t mean it’s a leaky home. Here’s what a client ‘expressed concern’ about recently during a pre purchase infrared moisture inspection… Whilst doing a pre purchase inspection for leaks in Glenfield recently, we came across a leak with the infrared camera that was quite a heavy one (see [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Do you have any skylights in your home? Have you seen signs of paint changing colour of bubbling in the area? Whilst doing a leak inspection in St Heliers recently, I came across a leaking skylight that the home owner had no idea about. The interesting part was there were no ‘signs’ of a leak on the ceiling [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Have you noticed the water level in your pool dropping quickly? The process to find a swimming pool leak can be made simple. Recently I was phoned by a gentleman regarding a swimming pool leak at a motel on the lower North Island… he had thought thermal imaging could fast track his attempt to source the leak. The pool [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Beware of renovated homes with a nice painted roof… there could be rust under the paint causing leaks! I can’t post a photo of the home with the ’hidden’ rusty roof in question for privacy purposes, but please be aware there could be more than meets the eye when buying a home! Whilst doing an interior moisture inspection on a home in [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Have you ever heard the saying “What you don’t know won’t hurt you“? The home owner of this Glenfield (Auckland) home below no longer agrees with the above statement. On a routine home thermal imaging inspection yesterday, we uncovered a huge water leak around a window that certainly wasn’t visable to the human eye. The only hint we [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Have you noticed moisture on your carpet in a place that seems unexplainable as to how it could actually get there in the first place? What if there are no wet areas near the leak? A lady called me for a leak detection in an Auckland city apartment today. She was totally confused (and for good reason) as to [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Are you considering buying a good old Kiwi Bach? Today I did a pre purchase moisture and thermal imaging inspection on a Raglan bach, and the results were not as expected from a solid 1950′s built home. From time to time my clients will ask “Do I really need a moisture inspection on a home [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Do you have a room in your home that has a deck built directly above it? Any signs of leaks on the ceiling or wall below the deck? Today I did a leak detection on a home that had an interesting outcome. The home owner noticed a drip coming through the tounge and groove on a rimu ceiling. His [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Different Types of House Leaks:
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Update: 2010
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