Your Guide to Detecting Issues within Your Building Envelope
Chances are that the term “building envelope” is completely unknown or somewhat vaguely familiar to you unless you work in the construction or the building management industry. To put it simply, a building envelope is what separates the inside of the building from the outside.
Therefore, building envelope entails any doors, windows, walls as well as the roof. In order to protect the building from outside elements, the envelope needs to be secure, waterproof and insulated. But every once in a while, an issue with the building envelope arises.
Hire a Building Envelope Professional
If you suspect there might be an issue with the building envelope, consider consulting licensed professionals like the Xpera Group who have a lot of experience with building envelope inspection and issue prevention. They will be able to tell you whether there are any problems, as well as point out to issues that may arise in the future unless you take the necessary steps.
In most cases, acting preemptively will cost you much less time and money. Otherwise, you may be faced with emergencies that can not only be expensive to fix but might turn into safety hazards.
Here’s why you Need a Building Envelope Inspection
If you plan on buying a building or a home, you need to hire a building envelope specialist to analyze the property and point out any issues. Knowing as much as you can about the real estate you’re investing in can help you make a better decision and affect your price. Additionally, investing in a building that constantly drains your resources through numerous fixes is not a good idea.
A complete inspection will also give you an idea of what to invest in when it comes to upgrading and maintaining your building, for example replacing the old windows or doors or fixing the roof, depending on their current state.
Look into the Building’s Past
The first step towards analyzing the state of the building envelope is finding out as much information about the building you can. This will make the whole process much easier and faster, but also far less invasive.
Try to find the original building plans either by asking the previous owner or the government office. The plans will tell you if there were any additional modifications to the building. In some cases, these modifications are the most likely candidates for trouble.
Even if you did not receive a list of all the modifications the building has gone through, an expert will be able to determine what has changed using the original blueprints and by analyzing the current state of the building.
The Inspection Process
An inspector has to go through a couple of steps during the envelope inspection process. The first one is detecting any leaks or points where a leak might occur. These usually include the roof, windowsills or flashings and these are the areas an inspector will pay special attention to.
After all the crucial points have been addressed, an expert will perform a visual inspection of the premises. They will use the proper tools to make sure they are not missing any signs of damage that may elude the naked eye. This mainly involves detecting any cracks in the walls or the foundation. An inspector will move from the ground up, using a specialized elevator to reach the high, inaccessible parts.
