![\"The](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.50.58-PM-300x216.png\")
The building in question features one whole face that is an aluminum-framed glass curtainwall. The curtainwall extends up above the roof lines, slopes up (from the vertical) forming a peaked skylight, which then slopes back toward the roofs that were holding water.<\/p><\/div>As architects\/roof consultants, there is nothing we hate more than to get a call from a client who says, \u201cMy new roof is leaking.\u201d Yet, that is exactly what happened to us not long ago. My firm had put a new thermoplastic PVC roof system on a high-profile government building in central New Jersey. The owner was my long-time client, and I ran the project, so I was intimately familiar with it and utterly shocked to get this call about six months after the project was completed. We had just experienced a three-day nor\u2019easter that began on Thursday night and ran straight through to Monday morning when the client arrived at the building to find numerous leaking areas.<\/p>\n
I responded by immediately going to the building. I was accompanied by the roofing system manufacturer. As the client led us around the building, water was dripping through suspended ceilings all over, which gave us the sinking (almost apocalyptic) feeling you hope to never know. However, when we went up to examine the roof, much to our surprise, there was no blow off; no seams torn; in fact, no apparent defects at all. Our thermoplastic cap sheet looked perfect on the surface.
![\"On](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.51.17-PM-300x205.png\")
On the upper roof, aluminum-framed sawtoothed skylights were dripping water when the team first arrived. This gave the only clue to where the \u201csmoking gun\u201d may lie.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
What we did find, however, was large amounts of water trapped between this cap sheet and the 90-mil bituminous base sheet underneath. This was creating large water-filled blisters on the roof that looked like an old waterbed as you walked up to and around them. No matter how hard we looked we just couldn\u2019t find defects in the membrane surface or at any of the flashing connections or terminations that could be causing this. There was, however, a likely suspect looming adjacent to and above our roofs. The building experiencing the roof leaks has one whole face that is an aluminum-framed glass curtainwall. It extends up above the roof lines, slopes up (from the vertical) forming a peaked skylight, which then slopes back toward these roofs that were holding water. On the upper roof, sawtoothed skylights of the same construction were dripping water when we first arrived. This gave the only clue to where the \u201csmoking gun\u201d may lie.<\/p>\n
METHODOLOGY<\/h4>\n
Water was dripping from the saw- toothed skylights into a planter in the 4-story atrium. The client said that was typical with all hard rains. Armed with this clue, and no other apparent explanation for such a large amount of water intrusion, the owner engaged us to find out what indeed was the root cause of this problem.<\/p>\n
![\"On](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.51.24-PM-300x221.png\")
On the upper roof, aluminum-framed sawtoothed skylights were dripping water when the team first arrived. This gave the only clue to where the \u201csmoking gun\u201d may lie.<\/p><\/div>In a couple days, the dripping subsided and most of the water blisters had dissipated or at least were reduced and stabilized. In the interim, I assembled a team consisting of a roofing restoration contractor (this is not a rip and tear production contractor but one especially geared to finding problems and making associated repairs), skylight restoration contractor and testing agency capable of building spray racks onsite to deliver water wherever it\u2019s needed. With this team, I embarked on a systematic investigation that would make any \u201cdetective\u201d proud.<\/p>\n
First, we plugged the roof drains and let water pool on the roof until the en- tire surface was wet. Meanwhile, \u201cspot-ters\u201d inside the building were looking for any sign of water intrusion using lights above the dropped ceilings. When this showed nothing, we began constructing spray racks and running water for set intervals on every adjacent surface rising above and surrounding the lowest roof in question. We first sprayed the exposed base flashings, then rose up to the counterflashing, then further up the wall, then to the sill of the windows above, etc. Then we would move laterally to a new position and start again.
![\"The](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.51.32-PM-300x182.png\")
The team first sprayed the exposed base flashings with water, then rose up to the counterflashing, then further up the wall, then to the sill of the windows above, etc. Testing moved laterally to a new position before starting again.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
This proved painstakingly tedious, but we knew that making the building leak was not enough; we had to move slowly and systematically to be able to isolate the location to determine what exactly was leaking and why. It is important when applying water this way to start low and only after a set period move upward, so when water does evidence itself as a leak, you know from what elevation it came.<\/p>\n
After an entire day of spraying the rising walls surrounding the first (low) roof area, we could not replicate a leak. Somewhat frustrated\u2014and rapidly burning the testing budget\u2014we began the second day focusing on the adjacent peaked skylight, which is more than 75- feet long.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.51.40-PM-300x184.png\")
The team first sprayed the exposed base flashings with water, then rose up to the counterflashing, then further up the wall, then to the sill of the windows above, etc. Testing moved laterally to a new position before starting again.<\/p><\/div>Again, we started low, where our base flashing tied into the knee-wall at the base of the skylight, below the aluminum-framed sill. Still no leaks. Late in the day, when we were finally up to the glass level, we sprayed water from the ridge and let it run right down the glass onto our roof below. Finally, we found some leaking occurring at a skylight flashing to wall connection. OK, that was reasonable to anticipate and easy to correct.
\n
\nWe began the third day of testing, again, on the peaked skylight and, sure enough, leaking water finally became apparent. Surprisingly though, very little water came directly through the skylight to the building\u2019s interior. Instead, water began pooling once again between the layers of the adjacent roofing. We had previously drawn lines around these water blisters (like bodies at a crime scene) so as soon as they began to grow we knew we had found the problem. Where water did make its way through the redundant layers of roofing, we noticed it traveled through the flutes in the steel deck, sometimes for quite some distance, before dropping through on top of ceilings as it had during the nor\u2019easter. This was truly \u201can aha moment\u201d.<\/p>\n
PROBLEM IDENTIFIED<\/h4>\n
![\"The](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.51.48-PM-300x201.png\")
The roof\u2019s adjacent skylight\u2014the peaked skylight formed by the vertically extended curtainwall\u2014is more than 75-feet long.<\/p><\/div>
\nAt this point, the skylight restoration contractor stepped up and began re- moving the aluminum trim and exposing the aluminum framing system and glass connections. Soon, it was evident the internal gaskets had dried out, allowing water to get into the framing where it was running vertically through the hollow framing members. Moreover, the system\u2019s weep holes were, for the most part, plugged, so this water was not able to drain back out above the upper termination of the base flashing of the adjacent roof.<\/p>\n
Upon close examination, dirt tracks (left by the water) were clearly depicting how the water was entering the roof system. In retrospect (because hindsight is always 20\/20), this skylight system was original to the building\u2014some 35 years old\u2014and it had likely been absorbing water for some time. Long enough, at least, for the internal drainage system to clog up because of the dirt, which is inherently carried by water.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.51.58-PM-300x199.png\")
The third day of testing on the peaked skylight revealed the leaks.<\/p><\/div>Although the details of construction were different, essentially the same thing was found to be happening at the aluminum-framed sawtoothed skylights over the upper roof. Of course, the owner was pleased the source of the water intrusion was determined, so he immediately granted a contract to have all skylight areas (adjacent to the roofs) rehabilitated by removing the trim components, replacing the concealed gaskets and opening up the weep holes.<\/p>\n
It is important to note for those of you who will find yourselves in the position sealants are only good for a period of five to seven years before they begin to fail and the process of leaking starts all over again.
![\"The](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.52.06-PM-300x204.png\")
The skylight restoration contractor exposed the aluminum framing system and glass connections, which revealed internal gaskets had dried out and the system\u2019s weep holes were plugged, so this water was not able to drain back out above the upper termination of the base flashing of the adjacent roof.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
It should also be noted that without addressing the internal weep system any such water within cannot leach out as designed but will find its way to where it shouldn\u2019t be. Remember, too, that water is construction\u2019s worst enemy, so when it goes where it shouldn\u2019t, it\u2019s causing damage\u2014seen or unseen.<\/p>\n
FINAL STEP<\/h4>\n
Once the skylights were restored, the last step in the process was to get the roofer to open up the \u201cwaterbed areas\u201d where water had pooled within the roof system. These blisters were allowed to dry (or forced to dry with heat guns) before the membrane was resealed with heat-welded target patches. A really nice feature of the thermoplastic cap sheet is the ease and certainty of such repairs.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.52.23-PM-300x211.png\")
The skylight restoration contractor exposed the aluminum framing system and glass connections, which revealed internal gaskets had dried out and the system\u2019s weep holes were plugged, so this water was not able to drain back out above the upper termination of the base flashing of the adjacent roof.<\/p><\/div>We all sooner or later receive that call that \u201cmy new roof is leaking\u201d. Of course, it may be the roof or it may be some adjacent element of construction. To determine which it is, put yourself into \u201cdetective mode\u201d and remember very simply that water always runs downhill. Then go about being the best \u201cconstruction sleuth\u201d you can be.<\/p>\n
PHOTOS:<\/strong> USA ARCHITECTS, PLANNERS + INTERIOR DESIGNERS<\/p>\n Areas where water had pooled within the roof system were allowed to dry (or forced to dry with heat guns) before the membrane was resealed with heat-welded target patches.<\/p><\/div> As architects\/roof consultants, there is nothing we hate more than to get a call from a client who says, \u201cMy new roof is leaking.\u201d Yet,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":3623,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Locating the Source of Water Intrusion Can Be Tricky","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[25],"tags":[855,884,4458,215,4457,4456,1422,4211,4459,509,3710,2965],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nTEAM<\/h3>\n
![\"Areas](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screen-Shot-2016-01-19-at-3.52.31-PM-300x249.png\")
\nArchitect:<\/strong> USA Architects, Planners + Interior Designers<\/a>, Somerville, N.J.
\nTesting Agency (water spraying apparatus):<\/strong> Intertek Architectural Testing<\/a>, York, Pa.
\nSkylight Restoration Contractor:<\/strong> Skylight Doctors<\/a>, Ambler, Pa.
\nRoofing Restoration Contractor:<\/strong> Nova Maintenance Inc., Andover, N.J., (908) 979-1633
\nRoofing Manufacturer:<\/strong> SR Products<\/a>, Macedonia, Ohio<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"