America experienced a residential building boom from 1997 to 2007, with an average of 1.72 million new homes going up each year during that period. This far outpaced the suburban building boom after World War 2, which peaked in 1977 with an average of 1.4 million new homes built.

But we’re learning that there is one key difference between the two new housing booms – the quality of the construction.

The December 2011 issue of Angie’s List members’ magazine featured a piece by the company’s founder, Angie Hicks, wherein she wrote:

“There are more problems with homes built during the 1997 to 2007 housing boom than during any other time period, according to a recent Angie’s List survey of highly rated home inspectors. The sheer volume of houses being built during that time made it difficult for local housing code authorities to enforce proper building methods. Many of those homes today have problems related to hasty construction, poor quality of materials and failure to meet minimum housing code standards.

A recent online poll of members reveal more than half who built a home during the boom discovered their homes were fraught with problems after a contractor completed the job. Poor drywall and carpentry work, structural troubles and plumbing problems were the three most widespread issues reported on the poll. Bad roofing jobs, insufficient insulation, dangerous electrical wiring, and improperly sized heating and cooling systems were other common complaints.”

Why the Quality Suffered

Factors that influence the poorer quality of homes built between 1997 – 2007 include a sharp rise in the cost of buying new land, and the materials and labor to build them. This created a need for home builders to erect the homes to minimum building code standards at the lowest cost per square foot in order to recoup their cost and make a profit.

The need for speedy home building was inspired by consumer access to easier home loans with record-low interest rates. The American public felt this new housing bubble pop during the October 2008 financial crises, though the home builders’ felt the sting in 2007 when the sub-prime mortgage crises greatly reduced the new housing starts. By 2009, new home building slowed to a crawl.

Common shortcuts taken by some new home builders during the boom years included using wood of debatable quality for framing, insufficient drying times for concrete foundations and skimping on insulation. These are issues that typically do not show on the surface of a pretty new home, but rather reveal themselves over the years as bowing walls, cracked foundations and high energy bills to heat and cool the home.

In the Metro St. Louis area, homes built during this time period have a propensity for water leaks around windows, a problem caused by flashing installed incorrectly (also known as reverse flashing – which actually pushes the water into the house), or no flashing at all.

How to Solve the Problem

As too often happens, the problems hidden behind the walls of some new homes reveal themselves long after the contractor has moved on, which makes it difficult to get any help from that contractor, even when it can be proven they were responsible for the issue. Unfortunately, this can leave the solutions in the hands of the homeowner, who too often face regular repair bills atop the monthly payments on a new home.

If you are considering buying a home built from 1997 – 2007, it is wise to invest in a full inspection or evaluation of the home’s construction. Be sure that these are by companies independent of a real estate agent or builder so you receive honest answers.

If you own a home of this vintage and are experiencing problems beyond regular, required maintenance, have the Home Consultants at Mosby Building Arts analyze and solve the problems. Mosby specializes in home evaluations and water management, and because they have worked on correcting issues with homes built during the boom years, have all the resources you need to finally have the home you want. Call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

We frequently hear from homeowners seeking answers to repair and maintenance problems. Many of these questions and answers are compiled in our Home Improvement Library. Here is a recent question.

Question

I bought a late 1950’s vintage house and have been very happy with it. But there is a cedar-lined closet in the master bedroom that show signs of a leak. Work was done to re-flash a chimney, but during the recent heavy rain the leak reappeared. The roofer said that if the flashing didn’t solve the problem then moisture may be coming through the bricks themselves.

Is it possible for moisture to penetrate bricks? And could you recommend a reliable contractor to find and fix the leak?

Answer

Water does penetrate brick, and very quickly. Brick is a very porous material and a brick wall can pass water through it in as quickly as 20 seconds from when a typical garden hose with a sprayer hits it.

With that being said, it is very possible that there is another problem causing the leak other than the brick. Your chimney is probably solid masonry and has a mortar cap around the clay flue liner. If it has a crack, or is deteriorated, or if your chimney is in need of tuck pointing, it could be the cause of your leak.

There are several other areas to look at to find these kinds of leaks where the roof intersects with the brick. Once the problem is found and corrected, sealing the brick and tuckpointing gives you another layer of protection.

Mosby Building Arts specializes in finding and solving water problems and we have sealing experts on staff, as well. Please give us a call at 314.909.1800 if you would like help analyzing and correcting your leaking brick chimney.

We frequently hear from homeowners seeking answers to repair and maintenance problems. Many of these questions and answers are compiled in our Home Improvement Library. Here is a recent question.

Question
I recently had (major home improvement retailer) install a new back entry door. In the process, they had to remove the aluminum wrapping that covered the molding around the outside of the door frame, and now it’s exposed to the elements. They told me that cutting and shaping the wrap requires a large, expensive piece of equipment that only a large siding company would have, and no siding company would be interested in such a small job!  Can you recommend a source to cover this molding before winter?

-Donna B.

Answer
Dear Donna,
With your door installation, you’ve experienced a classic example of narrow-focused knowledge. Many people can install a door, but a true home technician knows that a proper door installation automatically includes integration it into your walls and flashing system.

It’s important to be able to disassemble the wall cladding to an appropriate point to rebuild the flashing system and then properly install and integrate the door into the wall. This can be as simple as taking vinyl siding apart and installing proper head or cap flashings (see the diagram below), or it can get extremely involved. Creative methods may be needed to insure a weather-tight installation with other wall materials.

The crew that came to your home are specialists trained for very specific tasks.  Our homes are made of thousands of interconnecting pieces, each one affecting the other. When specialists encounter an issue outside their knowledge, you’re lucky when they err on the side of caution rather than attempt something above their badge level. As you’ve learned, this leaves you needing to call in another company to, essentially, finish the job. What originally appears a cost-effective solution can become expensive if 2 or 3 companies are needed to do the job right.  Looking at the bigger picture, our experience has been that the majority of doors (and windows) are installed incorrectly, which can lead to water damage that eventually reveals itself.  Learn how to spot door frame damage.

In answer to your specific question, any reputable full-service remodeling company or exteriors company, should have metal brakes – the piece of equipment needed to bend a new wrap for your molding. We’ve found it’s generally best to use Big Box Stores for purchasing household hardware needs and avoid their remodeling services because they’re typically not knowledgeable enough for this type of work.

Trees in full autumn color are undeniably gorgeous, and the leaves even look poetic scattered on the ground. Add to that what a major chore raking them up can be and it’s very tempting to let fallen leaves lie.

But those fallen leaves can create all kinds of water and deterioration problems for your home, which is why they need to be dealt with. Please rake your leaves to avoid the following:

• Drainage ditches and swales in your yard that are covered with heavy leaf fall can create damming or ponding in your yard after a heavy rain.

• Covered drains embedded in your driveway or patio cannot properly drain water if they are covered by leaves, so keep them clear.

• When exterior window and door wells are filled with leaves, they can turn into an aquarium during heavy rains because they cannot drain properly.

• Leaves piled up against doors or exterior siding turn into sponges when they become wet, and wood jambs, frames or siding will absorb that water which promotes wood rot and mold problems, and accelerates deterioration.

• A blanket of leaves on a wood deck can stain the surface and wick moisture into the wood which can deteriorate the deck structure.

• Concrete and other hard surfaces are not immune to being stained by fallen leaves. Keep patios, sidewalks and drives leaf-free to avoid cleaning stains later.

• Gutters and downspouts compromised by a build-up of leaves cannot drain properly. Blocked water can either go under your roof decking or spills over the side, compromising your water management system.

Different species of trees shed their leaves at different times, so it’s tempting to wait until all the trees are bare and rake everything at one time. But what a tree sheds can create specific problems. For instance, just one large leaf from a tulip poplar that lands just so in your gutter can block water access to a downspout, while a sweet gum tree sheds leaves and burrs, creating a double-whammy of water management issues.

The chore of raking leaves may seem less cumbersome in comparison to the water problems they can cause to your home if left unattended. The Mosby Building Arts team is here to help you with all manner of water leaks and drainage in and around your home when you call the office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Just as you change wardrobe from summer to fall, your home benefits from a purposeful transition into colder weather. Here is a list of things to do around your house to batten down the hatches for fall and winter.

WINDOWS & DOORS

• Remove screens right before the first threat of ice or sleet. Screenless windows also gain solar power, which can help with heating your home during the day.

• Check window seals. Fog or moisture between panes can indicate a broken seal, so now would be the time to invest in replacement windows.

• Seal air gaps around windows and doors. An energy audit from a certified energy analyst will show you exactly where these air leaks are. Caulking these gaps will bring you comfort and can reduce your heating bills.

• Inspect weather stripping around windows, doors and  thresholds. Replace them if they are damaged or rotted.

• Doors & windows have their tightest seal when they are locked, so be sure all windows are in locked position and deadbolts on your doors are engaged. This is also a safety tip!

HVAC & CIRCULATION

• Before you turn on your heat for the first time, change the furnace filter and have it serviced by HVAC specialists.

• Set thermostats and ductwork dampers to winter settings. If your furnace has a humidifier, also switch it over to the winter setting.

• Set ceiling fans to rotate clockwise, as seen from the floor when looking up at the blades. This change in direction moves warm air throughout the house. Keep it at the lowest speed to avoid the wind-chill effect.

• If you have a gas or wood-burning fireplace, have the chimney and flue inspected to assure clear passage.

WATER MANAGEMENT

• Disconnect garden hoses and sprinklers from outside spigots and store them inside.

• Before the first freeze, turn off the outside spigots at the interior shut-off valve to prevent water from freezing and cracking the pipes.

• To keep water draining properly during the rainy season, clear your gutters, downspouts, window and door wells of fallen leaves.

• Sealing your concrete driveway and sidewalks now helps protect them from the damage of freeze/thaw cycles, and makes snow and ice removal a bit easier.

For help with concrete sealing, window replacement or repair and all water management needs, work with the home improvement professionals at Mosby Building Arts. Call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

If you’re in the spring cleaning spirit and are outside washing the windows and doors, now is the perfect time to inspect their frames for water damage.

Water invading the interior of your home can many times adversely affect your health (in the form of allergies and respiratory problems) as well as damage the surfaces and structures it comes in contact with. Your window and door frames can provide clues if water is penetrating.

Wood frames can absorb water from the bottom, and that moisture can wick its way up the frame. At the bottom of door frames or on window sills, look for the following signs of water penetration:

• Wood splintering or looking “chewed up”
• Paint finish blistering or peeling
• Black or green patches of mold appearing on the finish
• Wall areas around the frame swelling and/or cracking

Aluminum, steel or vinyl door and window frames can make it more difficult to spot water damage. While steel will show rust, aluminum and vinyl are impervious to water. But in a wood frame home, these types of door and window frames are originally set inside wood. So while the water can’t damage the frames, it may find a more “friendly” material to penetrate.

Inspect your steel, aluminum or vinyl door and window frames and look for the following signs on surrounding exterior and interior walls:

• Doors or windows becoming difficult to operate
• Swelling, cracking or soft spots appearing in drywall or plaster
• Surrounding areas not holding a finish for long (blistering, flaking)
• Ants congregating or living in these areas (they are attracted to moisture)

What if you have a brick over masonry home with aluminum door and window frames? You can still detect water damage by inspecting the floors just inside the door way. Wood floors may show stains, streaks or warping, while continually loose tiles can be a sign of a wet subfloor. You can also go into the basement and look at the ceiling in the spot just below the entries and windows. If that wood is discolored or warping, it can be a sign that water has penetrated.

Water is Enemy Number One of your home. It is always seeking a way inside, and efficient water damage repair and management is the key to keeping it outside where it belongs. The Mosby Home Consultants are experienced water management experts, well-trained in spotting tricky water problems, tracing it to the cause and repairing it properly.

For water management help with your doors and window frames, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Water management is a system of keeping unwanted water from invading your home by directing it away from the home. On the home, it’s the roof, flashing, gutters, downspouts, windows and doors that keep water outside. In your yard, it’s about drainage and landscaping to prevent standing water and erosion problems.

The final link in the water management chain is public sewer lines which carry away all the excess water from your home and yard. A sewer backup is a stressful and smelly situation that can cause property damage, so preventing it is the first line of defense, but knowing what to do if it happens is also important.

Don’t Put It Down the Drain

Items that aren’t waste water or biodegradable (like toilet tissue) can become lodged in the lateral line (the underground pipe that connects your home to the main sewer line), creating a dam which forces the waste water back into your home. The following items should never go down any plumbing drain in your home:

• Cooking oil or grease

• Paper towels

• Disposable diapers

• Feminine products

• Swiffer rags

• Cigarette butts

Install a Backwater Prevention Valve

A backwater valve can prevent or greatly reduce the possibility of sewer backup. This fixture is installed in your basement drain that leads out to the lateral line. It works as a one-way system: sewage can go out but cannot come back in. A homeowner is responsible for the installation and maintenance and be sure a qualified plumber installs the right one for your needs.

What To Do About a Sewer Backup

If the sewer backs up into your basement or yard, your first call should be to your local sewer district. They will inspect the public sewer line, and if it’s blocked they will fix it. If it’s inside your home, they will instruct you to contact a plumber. It’s important to call the sewer district first so you are spending money wisely on the proper solution by the correct specialist.

Most homeowner’s policies do not pay for sewer backups unless a special sewer backup rider is purchased, so consider contacting your insurance agent to obtain more information about this extra level of protection.

For help with sewer backup prevention or correcting the damage caused by such, work with the water management experts at Mosby Building Arts. They will help you strengthen all the systems in your home needed to keep you dry and give you peace of mind. Call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

The roof, gutters and downspouts remove water off your home, but where that run-off water goes is an equally important part of water management around your home.

Water that consistently remains on the surface of your yard after a heavy rain is known as standing or ponding water. If this happens regularly near the foundation of your home, the concern is that this water will work its way into your home. Ponding further out in the yard can become a mosquito magnet. Standing water is a home maintenance problem that needs to be solved.

Because of gravity, water always flows down hill. In a perfect world, every house would be built atop a hill so all water would roll away. In the real world, you should work on keeping all waste water a minimum of 10 feet away from the foundation your home and clear up reoccurring wet spots in the yard. There are several options for accomplishing this.

Drainage Systems

Next to the home, downspouts need to extend 10 feet from the home. Because this is a tripping hazard and can be unsightly, bury them underground, and use PVC pipe, which is sturdier and less prone to clogging than the typical black corrugated piping.

Out in the yard, you can install a French drain system, which is perforated pipe surrounded by gravel installed in an 8-10” underground trench. Or the ground can be regarded to create a swale (a shallow drainage ditch) or mound that carries water to a designated collection area.

Sump pump exhaust points need to be at least 10 feet away from your house. Any closer, and waste water goes back to the foundation, causing the sump to keep pumping same water over and over again.

With any of these options, it is an important safety precaution to check with all utility companies about underground lines before digging. And please be a responsible neighbor by insuring the water moving away from your house does not become your neighbor’s problem.

Landscaping

Next to the home, maintain 6” of visible foundation at all times for proper drainage. Keep an eye on the height and slope of mulch as it’s reapplied every year. If it gets too high it will change the water flow next to the house (possibly causing water to go over the foundation or seep into siding and damage it) and provides easier access for termites to do their damage.

Out in the yard, some wet spots can be turned into a rain garden with plantings that can handle constantly wet roots. In the Midwest, trees such as willow, bald cypress and river birch, and indigenous prairie plants like black-eyed susans or purple cone flowers can prosper in these areas. But know that no tree or plant can thrive in a pond, so underlying drainage issues will still have to be addressed before converting a ponding area into a garden.

From roof to curb, water is the biggest and most constant enemy of your home, so is an important issue that requires accurate and long-lasting solutions. Mosby Building Arts specializes in water management for the Metropolitan St. Louis area. Mosby Home Consultants are deeply experienced in analyzing the root cause of residential water problems and solving them right the first time with assistance of the Mosby production team.

To dry up the standing water problems in your yard, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Gutters and downspouts are the water management workhorse of your home. They work in tandem with the roof, flashing and siding to whisk water away from your home, and if you notice a leak inside the home, the first thing to check is the gutter system.

Gutters also contribute to the exterior design of your home, so much care should go into the selection of new guttering so it looks as good as it works. Here’s a primer on what to consider when it’s time to for new gutters.

When To Replace Gutters

Indicators that it’s time for new gutters include signs of overflow or clogging during heavy rains, loose or damaged sections, or a deteriorating finish. Whenever you install a new roof or siding is the perfect time to replace gutters as well, because it ensures that your water management system is correctly aligned.

Choosing the Proper Gutter System

The conditions on and around your home will guide you to the proper gutter. The exterior design of your house and the surrounding neighborhood inform the materials and style that look appropriate, while the amount of trees around your home, and the size, shape and pitch of your roof dictate proper gutter size and protection. Desired level of maintenance and your budget are the final factors to narrowing down your options.

Gutter Shapes & Materials

Gutter shape and material is primarily an aesthetic and budget decision. But because these factors affect how they are attached, the structure of your roof and fascia will also play a role. Downspouts need to coordinate with the gutters so also factor into your decision.

Gutter & Downspout Sizes

Proper sizing is crucial for effectively moving water away from your home. Standard sizes are 5” gutters with 2×3” downspouts or 6” gutters with 3×4” downspouts. Correct size is determined by the height and slope of your roof, which affects the speed and amount of water run-off.

Gutter Guards & Protection

Gutter guards and filtering systems reduce both the frequency of gutter cleaning and the potential for water blockage and overflow. Because there are several forms of gutter protection, it is best to understand the types of trees around your home and the shape of your roof to determine which system will work best.

Gutter Installation

The perfect gutter system for your home will ultimately fail if it is installed wrong. There are so many links in the chain of proper water management that skimping on even one facet can lead to water damage down the road. It is very important to work with a company that is deeply knowledgeable and committed to installing it correctly.

Because there are so many considerations when it comes to replacing your gutters and downspouts, it’s a smart idea to work with a firm that understands every aspect of water management, from roof to gutters to moving the water away from your home. The Consultants at Mosby Building Arts will survey your home and its surroundings to guide you to the best gutter system, and the Mosby craftsmen will ensure that it’s done right the first time.

To learn more about gutter replacement and installation, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

It’s a Law of Physics: Water is always looking for a way into your house. A quarter of your house exterior (roof, flashing, gutters, downspouts, and windows) is dedicated to fighting this inevitability.

Rain is the easiest water enemy to spot because we can see and hear it falling. And if you have a leak in your home, you can almost count the minutes from when the rain starts to when it shows up inside.

Snow and ice are the sly water enemy because it comes down from the sky as a solid, and in the case of snow, it lands gently and silently. Plus, it’s so picturesque.

But once the temperature heats up, snow and ice reverts back to water and creates a different kind of water damage threat because it’s akin to standing water. Snow and ice sit in the valleys of your roof melting slowly, which allows the water more time to find new crevices and channels that rain seldom has a chance to find. And the path of outside-to-inside for melting snow and ice tends to be less straightforward because of where it’s coming from.

As that blanket of snow and ice begins to melt, keep an eye out for slowly developing wet spots and stains on your ceilings, around windows and fireplace chimneys, as well as in your basement. Also keep an eye on your roof for developing ice dams.

Mosby Building Arts specializes in water management, your leak detectives that find out where and how the water infiltrates. They are also your solution for solving the water leak problem once and for all. Mosby Consultants and Carpenters have decades of experience working on Metro St. Louis homes of all ages, so they know the sly tricks water plays to get inside your home.

When melting snow and ice turns into water damage in your home, call Mosby at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.