Do Solid Block Houses Leak? – Wet Batons

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 certainly can get water seeping through block walls and rotting the batons and carpet etc. I’ve seen it many times over.

Rotted batons below ground level

The most likely scenario for such leaks to occur, is when the floor level of the house is below the ground level directly outside the area. The other reason the batons behind the wall will rot is there’s a roof leak travelling down the wall.

In general, block houses are more solid and less likely to leak then other traditional building methods, but are you prepared to take the risk of buying an ongoing hidden leak for the sake of spending a few hundred dollars for a thermal inspection prior to buying?

Fortunatly the owner of the above home is ethical and is doing the right thing. At the time of this building inspection, he was in the process of repairing and sealing the block wall prior to selling the house. You can actually seal block/brick wall to prevent water leaking through, but it’s a very vulnerable area that isn’t straight forward to fix long term.

If you are buying a house with any external wall of the home below ground level (i.e. Built into the side of a hill), then certainly consider getting a thermal imaging leak inspection… it could make a huge difference to your purchase price if the structural intergrity of the area has failed. Leaks can be a real pain… so find out first!

Some leaks found during home inspections are nothing to really worry about (like an internal plumbing leak). It’s the leaks inside external walls that are the ‘not so friendly’ ones… regardless if it’s a solid block home or standard home with timber framing (especially plaster cladding homes with no cavity).

One question I commonly get asked from buyers, is “How many homes do you inspect wouldn’t have any leaks?”. The answer is about 5%. Yes, 5%. But… there are good leaks, and bad leaks. Good ones can be fixed easy at low cost and most likely have caused minimal structural damage. Then you have the monster leaks that travel down between the walls, penetrate the timber, saturate the insulation, rot the bottom plate, blow out the skirting board then make their way onto your carpet and saturate the underlay in the process. Most homes will leak at some stage… it’s just a matter to what extent. Even new homes leak if there’s a failure in the window joinery, or the shower hasn’t been sealed correctly. These are all things you need to know before paying the $$$.

FACT: You will not see the leaks that I will see when walking through a house due to the high tech equipment that I use (I wouldn’t see these leaks with my naked eye either)… and that’s why you should consider getting thermal imaging during your buying process. It may be cheaper than you think… and certainly a great peace of mind after you move in!

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Client Comments... (All testimonials can be verified as true and correct... updated for 2010)

I enlisted Dean’s services 2 days prior to “D-day” of us purchasing our first NZ home. Dean proved to be an extremely efficient and knowledgeable technician. He has a very good understanding not only of his specific field, but also of general building requirements. He was easily able to spot, and talk me through, existing as well as potential problems, and was very open to answering the myriads of questions I fired his way. Most importantly, he gave me non-biased answers, allowing me to make an objective decision regarding the purchase of a potentially leaky home. Thanks again for excellent service Dean! Simone P - Titirangi

We have lived for some time in an old weather board cottage which we have renovated over a period of years. Recently we discovered a leak, so we googled “find a leak” and found a comprehensive and detailed website of the same name. Next we spoke to Dean and an appointment was made. He was punctual, courteous and his experience was obvious. His thermal imaging equipment is ‘state of the art’ and the source leak was quickly detected.

Dean was able offer practical solutions which we can act on with confidence. As a result of this experience we would recommend the use of his skills before the sale or purchase of any property to be reassured as to the integrity of the property. Dean is personable, a superb communicator and a true professional. Maggie & David M - Waiatarua

Dean was very professional and I would highly recommend anyone that is thinking of buying a property to get thermal testing done. Fortunately it was by pure chance that I even knew these tests were available after speaking to my neighbour and he advising me. The house we were looking at had water leaks and Dean has saved me many thousands of dollars in the long run. David G - West Auckland

Dean is a very professional and friendly guy. He goes step by step through the process which is very valuable. When he finds a potential problem he immediately notified to me and discussed with me in details on what actions could be taken. Anyway no major problems were detected in the property I wanted to purchase. However I greatly advice anyone to obtain Dean's professional service to make sure the property is in a satisfactory condition. Robbie P - Glen Eden

Thank you very much for the great service, very professional and appreciated the time taken to explain the process. Very glad to know that with all the stigma that goes with plaster houses, ours is not a leaky home. The report has helped pin-point some areas for maintenance which we plan to undertake sooner rather than later..Thanks again. Heather M - Maraetai

We were a bit apprehensive about what the leak detection might find, but found Dean’s confident, friendly and very capable approach extremely reassuring. While we were greatly relieved by the findings concerning the exterior of the house, Dean’s thoroughness in looking also for internal issues uncovered a surprise bath leak. Thanks Dean for solving the mysterious odour that’s been bothering us for the last 6 months! We highly recommend Dean to anyone with even the slightest concerns regarding moisture in their homes. Kevin - West Auckland

Thank you Dean for your prompt service. I was given 2 days to have a Building inspection done which found some dampness in the house. It was well worth the money spent as Dean found some other damp issues. He was very thorough and very informative and even though there were issues with the house they were all fixable so I was then able to re negotiate the purchase price. I would recommend anyone buying a house- any type of building structure to have ’Thermo Imaging’ as part of a building inspection. Thank you once again. Maree, Glendowie

We had some concerns about a recently renovation house including a lower basement. Being nosey I popped around to join Dean on his inspection. Apart from enjoying meeting him, Dean was enormously informative, approachable & friendly, I found the technology & information I gleaned fascinating. Fortunately, we identified no significant issues with the property. It gave us great peace of mind & we can enjoy our new home knowing we have bought a dry, water tight property with with hidden surprises. Thank you Dean for your help & reassurance. To my mind it is certainly worth the modest sum versus potential costs you could incur which could also mar one of most expensive purchases of your life.. Diane - Devonport

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