Everything You Need to Know About Maintaining a Building Envelope
Building envelope rehabilitation is a critical component of any building restoration plan. Over the life of every building, owners and property managers are required to make important decisions about maintaining its key physical components. These choices impact the integrity and lifespan of your property as well as future maintenance costs. To understand what is involved, let us first clarify what your building envelope includes and why it is so important.
Importance of Building Envelope Rehabilitation
Simply put, your building envelope is the outer shell (or skin) that provides protection to the structure, interiors and occupants from the natural and manmade elements such as extreme weather, theft and vandalism.
The envelope includes exterior wall finishes, architectural features, structural components of the outside walls, insulation and drywall on the inside face of outside walls as well as the windows and doors. Roof, flashings, waterproof membranes on balconies, foundation and parkade structures are also part of your building envelope system.
Experts are unanimous in their belief that a well-constructed and well-maintained building envelope can be expected to last for years.
Types of Building Envelope Failures Needing Attention
Airtight and watertight building facades promote operational efficiencies. Therefore, addressing moisture infiltration, heat transfer and air leakage issues in a timely manner provide a threshold of control and resistance to natural elements that can reduce building envelope performance.
Our building envelope rehabilitation specialists point out 5 typical failures that often lead to progressive deterioration:
- Water ingress—due to lack of general maintenance and/or concrete slab and balcony waterproof membrane failures, and poor detailing of window and door openings
- Incorrect installation of exterior building paper
- Poor detailing of flashings and interfaces between different cladding materials
- Condensation build-up, mold growth and rot of structural components due to lack of adequate ventilation in attics and roof spaces
- Failed sealant and mortar bridging which allows water to infiltrate the walls
Advantages of Proactive Building Envelope Remediation
- It protects property value
- Helps maximize lifespan of building assets
- Minimizes disruption to daily business and occupants
- Reduces safety risks
- Results in lower long-term costs
The first step to successful building restoration is finding the right company to work with.
No matter the condition or complexity of the case, the team at Zero Defects can handle the task with confidence, ease, and a customized project management plan.
We offer complete building restoration services including:
- Brick and stone repointing, repair and replacement
- Curtain Wall Repairs
- Pre-cast panel repair and replacement
- Façade stabilization and strengthening
- Corrosion mitigation and control
- Seismic and blast upgrades
For practical solutions and quality work to protect your investment, contact the Building Restoration Experts in Toronto.
Get in touch with the team at Zero Defects today to schedule your no-obligation consultation or book your building restoration project with us. Contact us to learn more or to Request a Free Estimate.
