What they say…

Hello Spring! Yes, we made it through yet another wild winter in the tri- state area.  As the flowers start to bloom, and we brace for some April showers now is a great time to do community wide exterior inspections throughout the buildings within your community.

 My name is Craig Hannum, President of Marsh Creek Contracting, LLC- an award-winning multifamily exterior contractor in the Northeast and the Carolinas.  We are a family run and operated exterior contractor that is set apart from our competitors by going above and beyond the call of duty with all in-house homegrown construction crews. 

Preventative maintenance within your communities is dependent on many variables, but we will focus on a general guide to maintaining the exterior cladding to extend the life of the products and system installed. 

First, there is no preventative maintenance that will support builder defect or poorly installed products. If you feel this is your community, we suggest reaching out to the manufacturer of the product, a local CAI sponsored engineer or specialized contractor (like us!).

Moving the clocks back in the fall and moving them forward in the spring is a great reminder to do an exterior inspection within your communities.  Whether it is the roof, gutters, siding, stone, or stucco exterior it is ALWAYS important to follow the recommended maintenance programs to stay within the warranty from each manufacturer.  For example – fiber cement siding has very specific dos and don’ts to keep the warranty in force, so it is imperative to understand the manufacturer’s warranty, so nothing gets voided if an issue occurs. 

As you (or a representative from your community) start a visual inspection we suggest looking for the following:

Wear and Tear – Check for signs of peeling paint, deteriorated wood

Damage – shingles falling off, chips, cracks, or discoloration of cladding materials.

Mildew Growth – Areas that are prone to moisture are terrible for the longevity of products.  If you have any vegetation that is touching or close to the building, make sure to trim it back

or proper ventilation.   Generally, the north side of the buildings get the most growth due to the lack of sun.

Corrosion – Signs of rust?  This indicates water intrusion around the nail or screw that can lead to the fastener not properly working

Water Stains and Leaks – This is a very easy way to indicate water intrusion that could lead to deteriorated wall systems if not properly remediated.

If you experience any of these, we suggest keeping a close eye on it.  If caught early enough it can be less expensive to fix vs letting it go and the damage compounding.

Additionally, we have learned some very specific things with each project throughout our journey at Marsh Creek Contracting, LLC.  Here are the most common (preventative) issues we have seen that have led to major damage that needed repaired:

·      Gutters – if your gutters do NOT have gutter guards, we highly suggest cleaning them out every Nov/December.  This helps with the longevity of the products installed around them and allows the water to flow away from the home as it was intended to do.  If you do have gutter guards, do visual inspections to make sure the guards are properly working.

·      Spring Mulch – this might sound odd, but every 3-5 years we suggest your community landscaper REMOVE old mulch, so it does not build up above the foundation line through the years. Per code, there should be 6–8-inch clearance between the cladding and mulch (or ground level).  There has been significant termite damage on buildings that we fixed because the cladding (and wood framed wall) was buried in the mulch/ground.

·      Caulk Joints – a yearly inspection of the caulk joints between windows/doors, inside corners, outside corners and anywhere else on your building is important to make sure there are no voids.  Caulk should be completely removed and re-caulked every 3-5 years or whatever the manufacture recommends. 

·      Window and door screens – to help the longevity of your window and screens, it is a good practice to REMOVE your screens every fall and reinstall every spring.  This will not only help the longevity of your screens, but also your windows by preventing any dirt or debris to build up on the inside of the window screen/frame damming any water from draining.

Being proactive within you communities and understanding the manufacturer maintenance programs will save the community from preventative expenditures as it moves throughout each year. 

Thank you for the opportunity for us to share our experience and we hope to meet you soon. 

Come meet us at the Marsh Creek Contracting LLC booth for the CAI Keystone Expo this spring!