When dealing with excessive amounts of water due to flooding or other extreme weather events, water ingress can be a big problem. Moisture can seep into the many layers of a building and if the issue is not fixed promptly, it can often lead to irreparable damage. Basically, the longer water is left unchecked, the greater the level of damage and more health and safety issues can arise.
The process of drying out a home can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. It is imperative that the home be thoroughly dried out before any repairs or remedial work begins. If walls, floors, or other spaces are closed in before being completely dried out, it can encourage mould and mildew growth, and can eventually lead to more serious forms of decay.
Any remedial work that is classed as Restricted Building Work (RBW) must be carried out by a Licenced Building Practitioner (LBP). Restricted Building Work is any work needed to make a home structurally sound and weathertight. It is also known as ‘external moisture management systems’ and is work that requires a building consent or alters the primary structure of your home. This type of work generally involves larger, more complex jobs, such as alterations to foundations, floors, supporting walls and roofs, or remediation of wet area bathrooms.
Has any remedial work been done on your property?
It may be that repairs have already been done to your home and things are largely back to normal. That’s great! However, you might have noticed mould growing in areas that have been repaired, or perhaps these areas have started to become smelly. If this is the case, it is recommended that you seek expert advice. It could simply be a case of poor ventilation through the winter months, or it could potentially be a much bigger dampness problem that is hidden behind the walls.
You may want to visit the following websites for more information and advice on what to do in this instance:
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Auckland Council
- Your insurance company website
The above links are good starting points to help answer your questions on what might be happening in your home and what could be done about it, however, to get an accurate diagnosis, you’ll need to get a professional to take a look. It’s always best to seek professional advice rather than try to diagnose it yourself.
Are you planning to commence remedial work?
Before any Restricted Building Work (or any remedial building work) is done on your property, it should be thoroughly dried out and adequately ventilated. This will mitigate the risk of any timber framing, lining, insulation, or other internal components to decay over time due to trapped moisture.
Watertightness can be compromised from many external areas. These include floors, roof/wall cladding, windows and doors, fixings and more.
To sum up
Following the catastrophic weather events experienced in Tāmaki Makaurau in 2023, hundreds of properties will be in various stages of repair. Many properties will have already been successfully repaired and require no further inspection. For those that have yet to have remedial work done, we stress the importance of thoroughly drying out the affected areas to ensure the best possible result and watertightness is maintained.
As always, if you are in doubt about any issue or potential issue, check the resources provided here, seek help from a qualified professional, or contact our building helpdesk via acebuildhelpdesk@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or phone 09 353 9358.
