TotalFlash®
Articles
November 2012 – Patching: Extending the Life of Masonry
Patching of masonry materials during a new construction project is typically a line item that was not planned during the estimating phase of the project. Understanding the products commonly available for patching, capabilities, compatibility and limits of each product will enable you to make better choices when selecting the products required for each patching condition. Masonry restoration contractors typically are experts in the field of patching as a major portion of their business can be repairing historic structures with deteriorated stone, concrete and terra cotta.
Learn how proper patching can extend the life of masonry.
October 2012 – Moisture Management in Masonry Buildings
Masonry Construction, one of the oldest building systems in the world, requires a complex integration of a variety of elements to control moisture. The construction of a masonry building requires the knowledge of how this material weathers and reacts to seasonal changes such as snow, sleet, wind-driven rain, and humidity. Ancient civilizations building in equatorial zones using 3-foot-thick walls did not have to worry about a freeze-thaw cycle when they chose masonry, stucco, and brick as their most common building material. However, as civilization moved north to more temperate climates, new construction methods reduced the impact of moisture from seasonal temperature variations on buildings.
Learn how unitized flashing provides an integrated design solution
June 2012 – Rules Never to be Broken
As with all things, masonry has rules that will and will not change over time.
Learn the rules for installing flashing correctly
Rule No. 1 - Masons get paid for what they lay on the wall, not for effort.
Rule No. 2 - Completing a job correctly will cost the mason four-times less than a mistake. One: removal of defective work. Two: replacement of defective work. Three and Four: the two jobs that were not completed while the repair work was performed.
Rule No. 3 - A wall without flashing completed properly has a 95 percent chance of leaking as opposed to a wall that is flashed correctly, which has almost no chance of leaking.
December 2010 – Flashed Before Your Eyes
We all know, the economic downfall is not directly related to how we individually run our businesses. It does, however, create opportunities for our businesses to be operated differently. For example, our yards no longer have surplus wall wire, anchors, or rolls of flashing lying around, and I'll bet payrolls are smaller than desired. We are all affected by this, and we have to work through it. We have to be a bit stonger and a bit smarter than before, so we can look back on this tough time later.
Learn about proper flashing installation
April 2009 – A Few Bucks of Prevention
In 2007, just weeks after it was completed, a four-story, 75,000-square-foot, state-owned building costing $10 million began leaking at several of its interior window heads.
Read a case study about the cost of poor flashing installation
Before it was over, those leaking windows turned into a nine-month, $1,750,000 remediation nightmare. It included a total re-cladding and numerous other repairs, and the replacement of its copper fabric flashing with a product that didn't even exist when the building was being designed.
September 2008 – Rehabs & Restorations
Asbury Tower is a 26-story, affordable housing community for seniors. The 35-year-old facility has 347 apartments and is located on the ocean in Asbury Park, NJ. While the building was structurally sound, sections of the brick facade had begun falling off. LAN Associates, Engineering, Planning, Architecture, Surveying Inc., based in Midland Park, NJ., has been retained to reengineer the skin and spec out the project. The project also includes mechanical upgrades, to air conditioning and sprinkler systems as well as interior upgrades, including new kitchens and bathrooms.
Read a case study about how TotalFlash was used in the Asbury Tower rehab project
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