06 May one of the most common areas that causes a lot of water damage is…

At ProBuilder one of the most common areas we find causing a lot of water damage is external cladding; especially on walls exposed to wind driven rain. External cladding has the potential to cause a lot of water damage if not installed properly or the wrong type of cladding is used. This is because cladding is essentially a protective layer that covers the exterior of a building and helps to shield it from the elements.

When it comes to external cladding, the weakest part of an opening is the corners, because they are susceptible to the most movement. Because of this known fact manufacturer’s have a recommended sheet layout to counter this. Staggering the sheet joins, as well as having the joins in a stronger area of the opening, all help keep the cladding tight. Other measures such as adequate support in the frame and various flashing and waterproofing techniques can make external cladding do what it’s intended to do, protect the building.

So many builders do not follow these simple guidelines and the result is the sheets open up and water enters the property via capillary action and all of this can be causing major frame damage unbeknownst to the owner. This photo shows such and these large gaps have created an enormous amount of damage in this house. It would not have cost more to do this job properly and the only excuse is ignorance of the recommended installation methods and little or no supervision and care. For something that would have cost no more to do it correctly the repercussions are huge. Scaffolding, removal, reframing and replacement along with a new paint job mean these repairs can be very expensive. They don’t get better so if you notice any external cracking it’s best to have it investigated early.

If you have concerns regarding your cladding, don’t delay! Click here to find out how ProBuilder can help.