Environmental Consultant Allenwood, NJ 08720

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CASE STUDIESASSESSING HIDDEN MOISTURE
INTRUSIONTips, Tricks Watery TreatsOctober
14, 2015

• VICTOR COPPOLA, CGP
• Environmental Advisor Scientist Principal
• GreenWorks Environmental, LLC
• Home Property Environment
• 2105 Princeton Ct., Allenwood, NJ 08720 (732)
  223-2073 www.greenworksllc.com
• _at_GreenWorksLLC _at_VictorVerde0927

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Why Moisture Management

• Poorly managed moisture is the primary driving
  force leading to Sick Building Syndrome that
  often shows up as biological contamination,
  building material biodeterioration, structural
  settling and overall IAQ degradation. Having a
  good working knowledge of the Water Cycle is
  the first part of assessing how our Built
  Environments collide with the Natural
  Environment. But getting into the minutia of
  Moisture Migration Pathways is whats ultimately
  needed to truly understand ones home
  environment.
• Victor Coppola, CGP

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The TIPPING POINT

• Talk about moisture and the health of our homes
  often revolves around a series of Seemingly
  Insignificant Events.
• That transition line - where we go from
  everythings fine to disaster is called the
  Tipping Point. It can reveal itself at any
  time. You will know when it hits, look for the
  puddle!

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CASE STUDY DISCUSSIONNew Custom Home (ca. 2010
with reused / expanded 1920 foundation)

• Home is all top line construction with spray foam
  insulation, radiant floor heat, etc.
• The Prospective Buyers 12yo daughter has mold
  sensitivity and childhood asthma
• Home is immaculate where some water from Sandy
  hit crawl space which was visually immaculate as
  well

10/14/15
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CASE STUDY DISCUSSIONNew Custom Home (ca. 2010
with reused / expanded 1920 foundation)
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The Yard Drain(How far from home do you inspect?)
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Gutter Holding Water(Very Common. Ever see the
Algae Plug clog a gutter?)
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Crawl with Concrete Slab(Very clean, note spray
foam on foundation)
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TGIs Lam Beam SprayFoam
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Old Poured Foundation(What hydrology indicator
do you see?)
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Whats in Old Foundation?(Is that charcoal?)
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Lots of Stuff!
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Whats Spray Foam Lift?(Closed Cell Foam doesnt
stick to Everything!)
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Open Duct Drop-Downs
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Whats This Leader Fix?(Why landscape guys dont
make good drainage decisions)
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Inaccessible Areas
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Whats Wrong Here?(Typical SmartVent Type Flood
Vent Installation)
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CASE STUDY DISCUSSION 1950s RANCH
(remodeled)(Home Inspector Inspected with
Written Report)

• Clients looking to start a family and want babys
  room air quality inspected.
• Home extensively remodeled recently.
• Home inspection report didnt show much.
• Simple air test and visual observations reveal
  potential moisture intrusion.
• How would you handle this inspection?

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1950s RANCH (remodeled)What's Wrong here?
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See Anything Suspicious?(Can you believe that a
Home Inspector missed this one!)
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Floor Vent Issues?(What do you see here?)
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Rusty Register Covers(With water comes elevated
humidity migration)
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Inside the Duct Collar(what could the rag be
for?)
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Inside the Duct Collar(Water intrusion video by
the Client)
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Whats Up with Floor Tiles?(Under loose piece of
carpet in hall closet)
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Public DataSomewhat Limited Soils(Dwellings
Without Basements)
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Public DataSoil Drainage Tendencies (Reveal
Hydrology of Site)
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Public Data1930 Historic Aerials(Historic Site
Use - Farmers Loved Wetlands)
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The Water Main(Flooded Chamber)
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Invasive InvestigationMoisture Barriers
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Invasive InvestigationMoisture Creep
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Invasive Investigation Subfloor Moisture
Barrier(5/8th Inch Plywood)
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1950s RANCH (remodeled) WOOD FLOOR REVIEW

• This home was inspected by a Home Inspector who
  missed the following
• Floor Cupping / Warping throughout home where
  severity was not addressed.
• Floor Duct H2O Intrusion Soil Fines (ducts were
  dirty)
• Rags stuffed in ducts to stop water intrusion
• Black floor stain in hallway (Totally Missed)

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CASE STUDY DISCUSSIONWET HOME FOR 30 YEARS(CA
1970 Bi-level Construction)
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• Owner thought wet crawl was way home was supposed
  to be. But we know better
• State mapping observations confirm wetlands
• Flat / negative grading around home
• No Ventilation in crawl space condensate
  dripping
• Clogged gutters and underground piping
• Suspect gutter layout and pitch
• Front yard flat grading / negative pitch

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Invasive InvestigationSaturated Base Plate
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CASE STUDY DISCUSSION30 YEAR WET HOME(Ca. 1970
Bi-level Construction)
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Dew Point Effect in Crawl
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Crawl Space White Wash
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Clogged Discharge Lines
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Channel Drain Assessment
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Simple Hydrology Tool
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Driveway Hydrology Deflector
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Still Water in the Garage
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CASE STUDY DISCUSSION New Home
Construction(Same Old Developed Neighborhood)

• Previous home built 1940s on basement
• Nothing unusual about water intrusion
• 2 homes scraped and re-built
• Now getting H²O in basement
• Pumps running continuously

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CASE STUDY DISCUSSION New Home
Construction(Same Old Developed Neighborhood)
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Water Discharge at the Curb
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Catch Basin in the Street
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Home Rear Yard
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Public Data Rear Finished Basement Wall(Note
Sheetrock Patch)
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Client PhotoFinished Basement Closet(Interior
Central Wall)
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Public Data2012 Enviro Aerials(Public Data via
NJDEP GeoWeb w/Enviro Layers)
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Public Data1930 Enviro Aerials(Public Data via
NJDEP GeoWeb w/Enviro Layers)
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Public Data Historic Topography Mapping(Public
Data via NJDEP GeoWeb w/Enviro Layers)
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Public DataSoil Mapping(Dwellings with
Basements / Public Data Via NCRS)
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Public Data Depth To Saturated Zone(Dwellings
with Basements / Public Data Via NCRS)
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Hand Auger BUCKET(Saturated Soils _at_ 2.5 Feet)
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Soil Boring Profile(Hand Auger w/5 Extension
Rod)
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This is a Filled Wetland!
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Hydrology Inspection Checklist(Some Pointers to
Consider)

• Review the Property Survey Property Disclosure
  Document for clues as to the sites hydrologic
  properties history
• Interview buyer ( seller) as to concerns, health
  issues, etc. that could be impacted by elevated
  humidity
• Perform a limited Natural Resource Inventory of
  the site area
• Streams, Wetlands, TE Species, Tidelands, Soils,
  etc.)
• Be Aware of Seasonality (Late summer dry spells
  vs Wet Winters)
• Research Historic uses of the property
• Assess exterior Water Management Strategies (WMS)
  
• Grading, Gutters, Piping, Wet-Wells, off-site
  concerns
• Do the same for Off-Site areas (Neighbors)

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Hydrology Inspection Checklist(Some Pointers to
Consider)
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• Assess common interior water problem areas and
  look for clues
• Bathrooms, Boiler/Utility Areas, Below Grade
  Rooms
• Stains, Efflorescence, Material Swelling /
  Deflection
• French Drains, Sump Pumps, Dehumidifiers,
  Ventilators
• Insects Whats Creeping Crawling
• Cave Crickets, Centipedes, Springtails, Mites,
  Spiders, Rodents
• Just visitors or are they residents / see
  Complete Life Cycle?
• The Nose Knows What does it smell like?
• Vapor Intrusion / MVOCs /
• Odors Damp Musty, Sweaty Sock, Sweet Prickly,
  Cat Urine (But I have no Cat), Foul Raunchy Type
  odors all tell a story as to what is causing the
  aroma, often tied to a moisture source.

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Hydrology Inspection Checklist(Some Pointers to
Consider)
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• Hidden sources of moisture (Visual)
• Lumber vs. Engineered (Free H2O/Lignins Wood
  Rot-White)
• Cheap wood/particle board in undersides of
  furniture / Contents
• Basement Finishing Sys (Walls, Ceilings, Vinyl
  Floating Floors)
• Sub-Slab drainage pipe networks
• Municipal Rqmnts to hold stormwater / Groundwater
  Mounding
• Dry Wells Recharge Chambers
• Technical Equipment Assistance
• Moisture Meters (Surface vs. Penetrating)
• IR Camera (Phone devices are good inexpensive)
• Hygrometers, Portable Weather Stations

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