Water is essential and life-giving. In construction, water is also the enemy.
As builders in Houston, Texas where average relative humidity is 78%, moisture control is arguably the biggest challenge we face. No matter what structural material we build with, water has the power to weaken those materials and compromise the integrity of the home.
There are many ways we tackle our love-hate relationship with water. Many of our materials and methods go above industry standards but we think they are absolutely crucial to ensure the performance and longevity of our homes.
- Our on-site Construction Managers verify that flashing is installed properly at all doors, windows, and roof joints. Whenever door and window pans are needed, those are meticulously inspected by our Construction Managers as well.
- We install a row of treated plywood along the base of the sheathing around the home’s perimeter.
- On the roofs of our homes, we use an ice and water shield waterproofing membrane applied directly to the roof deck, followed by the underlayment then high-quality roofing tiles.
- We strongly recommend using spray polyurethane foam for insulating and for sealing gaps and cracks to create an airtight building envelope.
- Our on-site Construction Managers routinely walk the home’s attic during frame stage to analyze air flow. It must be confirmed that there is sufficient air flow in the soffits and out through the ridge vents. If any potential problem areas are found, we ensure they are thoroughly addressed before moving on in the construction process.
Moisture issues are difficult to solve once construction is complete, so be sure you can trust your homebuilder to be proactive and demand uncompromising quality when it comes to moisture control.