Open your eyes and use your nose.
Telltale signs can point to a leakage problem. The more there are, the more
likely the home is a leaker.
Internal telltale signs of potential leakage The most obvious are:
water dripping down inside when it rains
cracks in the interior
walls
cracks in the exterior
walls
large numbers of ants or other bugs that like a
moist environment
Less
obvious signs include:
small amounts of unexplained water or dampness
around doors and windows
swelling of fibreboard
skirting
damp or rotting carpets, rusty nails to carpet
edging
a musty smell, but not often
unexplained corrosion, staining or mould growth
But be aware that only about 1 in 50 leaks are
noticeable. (P)
External telltale
signs of potential leakage
A non-exhaustive checklist in Prendos' Leaky Home Guide, best understood in conjunction with Prendos' Potential
Risk House drawing,
lists external design features that pose a significant weathertightness risk if
not properly installed and finished:
Window and door joinery
Do you have sloped or curved window heads?
Do you have recessed windows i.e. set back from
the face of the cladding?
Do you have complex joinery i.e. faceted, stepped
sills, corner windows?
Roofing
Do you have flat roofs?
Do you have parapets?
Do you have skylights?
Do you have internal gutters?
Do you have roof to wall
intersections?
Cladding
Does your cladding have random cracking?
Do other building elements or fixtures penetrate
the cladding e.g. pergola timbers, fascias, gutters, lighting fixtures?
Are penetrations of the cladding adequately
flashed or sealed, e.g. around metre boxes, waste pipes etc.?
Flashing systems
Do your windows and entrance doors have a metal
(or other material) head flashing?
Are your windows and entrance doors sealed
against the cladding?
Are penetrations of the cladding by electrical
meter boxes and drainage pipes etc. sealed or have flashing?
Is the bottom edge of any apron flashing on any
roof-to-wall intersection stop-ended so as to direct water away from the
cladding?
Ground clearance
Does the cladding extend all the way down to the
ground or surrounding paving?
If you have a timber subfloor above a vented
space, can you clearly see all the subfloor vents on all sides?
Is the ground under the house continually damp?
Any ground that is not dry is considered damp.
Decks
Do you have an enclosed balcony with an internal
overflow?
Is the level of the deck equal to or higher than
the level of the floor?
Is there a space between the edge of the deck
support structure and the cladding?
Is the deck support structure fixed directly
through the cladding?
Are the joists supporting the decking an
extension of the house floor joists?
Some common-sense
hints when inspecting a home
Get a LIM report (Land Information
Memorandum) from the local council. It will not necessarily, but it can
reveal relevant information. Councils are obliged to identify
properties that have been subject to a Weathertight Homes Resolution
Service claim. However, properties that have been subject to a claims
process through the courts or private actions do not have to be
identified.
Ask the real estate agent and/or seller
whether there are any known weathertightness problems or they
have carried out any weathertightness-related repairs. They are
legally required to give an honest answer, albeit this may not always
happen. If they don't they can be held legally accountable. Getting their answer
in writing or having a witness who can support your position is also a
good idea, should any conflict arise later.
Ask for furniture, rugs, potted plants
etc. to be moved so you can thoroughly inspect the place.
Check for musty, mouldy smells in the
house. Don't be fooled if the real estate agent and/or the owner pretend
they don't notice any mouldy smell.
Ask for permission to smell-check for damp
and/or musty odours inside a wardrobe. Clothes usually absorb and
exude mouldy smells and are good indicators.
Don’t be fooled by freshly deodorised, heavily
scented homes or the smell of freshly baked bread or cake, a
common trick to mask damp and mouldy odours.