The building envelope comprises the roof and the exterior walls — every assembly responsible for keeping weather out of the building. Treating the roof in isolation is one of the most common and most expensive mistakes an owner can make.
Why walls matter as much as roofs
The performance of the exterior skin of a building and its ability to keep out water can be affected by sealant joint failure, building movement causing stress cracks in the veneer, failing through-wall flashing conditions, and failing window systems or their flashing conditions, among others.
Water that enters through a wall assembly frequently shows up as a “roof leak” several feet away. Chasing the symptom instead of the source produces repairs that do not hold.
A holistic approach
Our job is to assist clients by providing a holistic approach to the building envelope, and to provide written reports that identify both the conditions in need of repair and those that are still performing well. That second half matters: knowing what not to spend money on is part of the value.
Unwanted water infiltration into a building can damage building components in ways that turn into a costly repair for the owner. Where the cause is not visible, we will identify it — and if necessary engage a third-party contractor to remove exterior finishes to reveal hidden conditions, or to conduct required testing, with Armko providing the observations and recommendations.
Designing to prevent failure
Because we understand the cause and effect of premature failure in building envelope systems, we also assist the engineering community in designing roofs and waterproofing for remodel and new construction projects specifically to prevent that failure.
To have your envelope evaluated as a whole system, get in touch.