Water Intrusion, Take 2

Will and Guy

Our Broker spoke to a packed house at Zephyr last week, sharing "war stories", though, given the season, and the nature of the stories, it was really more "scary stories" about what could possibly go wrong in a real estate transaction, that might lead to a lawsuit.

Number One subject of lawsuits?  Water intrusion. Given my last post, I thought I'd better follow up with more encouragement to clean those gutters, keep an eye out for plumbing and window leaks (repair asap!), and read your disclosure packages carefully. Number Two is square footage, which is why you often will not see a number in marketing materials, but that's for another post.

Stormy Weather and Real Estate

The leading edge of storms come from the south here at the golden gate. So, while your south facing terrace is a boon in terms of warmth and light, you may have south facing windows or doors suddenly blown open when the storm hits. No worries as long as your doors, siding and windows are in good shape. They will take the brunt of sun and rain and storm wind over time though, so good maintenance is key to the integrity of your building.

wunderground.com/

When looking at property, south facing windows, doors and walls merit close inspection by your contractor and pest inspector. Sun bakes this side of the house (when it's not foggy) and weakens it over time, and then wind driven rain can work its way into buildings, causing "dry" rot and deterioration of the structure. 


When it comes to buildings and moisture, "a stitch in time, saves nine". A little scraping, caulking and painting can save you big money by preventing moisture from breaching the exterior. Consistent yearly maintenance, and if necessary, upgrading of windows and doors is good investment for the future of the building. 

Whole Building Design Guide

It's not too late for window maintenance, or to make sure your gutters are clean and flush with the roof, but work that opens up the exterior siding is best done next dry season.  Smart homeowners who want to upgrade their windows will do it well before winter storms (plan now, for next summer!) since often there is hidden water damage under the siding (or stucco), which can be a big can of worms. More moisture from rain is the opposite of what the building needs.