The Roof Leak....It's Actually Coming From The Walls

Tropical Storm Debby brought to attention an issue that many property managers and owners appear to have forgotten…walls can leak! Let’s face it, many of us lack of sufficient understanding about how improper paint maintenance can cost a lot of money and even create leaks in your building. So the team at RAMCON decided to do some research and demonstrate through real work examples that sometimes a leak, although appear to be coming from the roof, may actually be coming through the wall!

The front of this shopping center (below) had continual leaks at the front wall. It was assumed that the roofs on either side of the wall were causing the leaks. (There is a second roof, out of view, at the top of the wall on the backside.) A visual inspection of the wall showed only a few minor cracks here and there, but not enough to account for the leaks. Therefore, RAMCON technicians started to water test the walls and the flashing points where the roofs terminated on the walls. We quickly discovered the problem. The paint had been improperly applied and had not bonded to the concrete. Water was passing through the paint and then sliding down into the building. Once the wall was cleaned, sealed, primed properly and then painted the leaks stopped entirely.

So, improper painting can create a waterproofing problem. There are other ways that improper painting can create un-needed expenses. The staining on the side wall of this shopping center will necessitate the repainting of the wall.

Field painted, galvanized copings will rust and if the tops are not properly treated the rust will roll over and stain the side of the building. We have even seen painters repaint stained walls and still not paint the tops of the rusted copings. It is not standard practice for painters to paint the horizontal surfaces on copings (or the outside lips of gutters). You must specifically require it or it will not normally be done. Failure to do so is almost always a mistake.