Moisture Intrusion and Wet Masonry Buildings

Wet Building Crisis in Chicago

Wet Brick and Block Building Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood

Wet Split Face Block, Brick and Block Building with Decorative Renaissance Stone details in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood

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It’s probably NOT a roof leak. It could be a roof leak, but in masonry buildings, especially split face block buildings or brick buildings with "stone" details, we’ve found the roof membrane is often in good condition. So before you agree to a $40K+ at minimum roof replacement, hire a home inspector or give us a call to confirm the leak source.

Most of the time, we find that water is actually seeping through the masonry and accumulating in the roof system in addition to the naturally forming condensation under the roof membrane caused by the temperature difference between the roof membrane and the masonry wall it’s attached to.

All masonry buildings are different, and deteriorate in unique ways. We will diagnose the issues specific to your building, find and understand the water source, and then design a repair to fix it permanently. We use a combination of custom flashings to divert bulk water away from the building and passive ventilation to exhaust trapped moisture vapor. Correcting the balance of wetting events (rain and snow) and accumulation (water sitting on horizontal surfaces) with continuous drying stops mold growth and slows further structural damage. Once your building starts to dry, we will repair the damage and make your home whole again.

Please keep in mind, water doesn’t discriminate. It destroys custom masonry homes as quickly as it destroys condos and town homes. Under the decorative interior finishes, all buildings built since 1990 are constructed of new-growth, tree-farm lumber. New growth lumber has less resin than old growth lumber. Water can turn low-resin lumber to mush in a matter of months. Older buildings were constructed with old-growth tree lumber that contains a lot of resin. Resin makes lumber naturally water and mold resistant.

If your home has leaks, smells or mold, schedule a building evaluation today. It’s important to repair moisture intrusion quickly to protect your investment before dangerous structural damage occurs, including truss rot which if left unresolved can lead to collapse.

Click to learn more about Common Moisture Intrusion Points

• Masonry Parapet Walls

• Split Face Block Walls

• Renaissance Stone or Pre-Cast "Stone"

• Leaking Balconies, Railings, Doors, Windows

• Flat Roofs