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Los Angeles Water Intrusion Testing

WATER INTRUSION SPECIALIST

LOS ANGELES | SAN FRANCISCO | SAN DIEGO

Here at WIS, which is short for Water Intrusion Specialist, our primary objective is to perform water intrusion testing for both commercial and residential buildings to source and identify where your water leaks are originating from.

We are the #1 Ranked Independent Testing Agency for performing water intrusion tests to find and locate rain related water leaks at windows, doors, walls, decks, and flat roofs. These tests include the AAMA 501.2, AAMA 502 and ASTM tests such as the E1105.

Water intrusion comes in many different forms and doesn’t discriminate between residential or commercial buildings. We provide water intrusion testing and investigative services throughout all of California in addition to neighboring states such as Arizona and Nevada. Some the major cities we are testing in include but are not limited to: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

Phone: 888-381-7377

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Infrared Thermography Testing

We are Infrared Thermography Experts operating within Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. The use of infrared technology combined with our investigative testing process is a winning combination that continues to produce positive results. We are the professionals when it comes to sourcing water leaks and have a deep understanding of the science behind thermal imaging which allows us to utilize our skills and experience to help solve your rain related leak issues.

Water Intrusion Testing – Recent Projects

Fenestration Testing

Water Intrusion Specialist (WIS) and our team of Rain Leak Experts perform many of the AAMA and ASTM standardized tests on fenestration products throughout CA, AZ, and NV. The primary cities we service are Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. Some of the tests we perform are AAMA 502, 511-08, ASTM E1105, 2128, D5957 D7053, C1601 and more…

Los Angeles | San Francisco | San Diego Moisture Intrusion Investigation and Rain Leak Detection

Water Intrusion Specialist is a water intrusion and rain leak specialized testing company headquartered in Los Angeles, CA and providing services throughout all of CA, AZ, and NV. Major hubs we service include: San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. Our goal is to assist in the replication, location and resolution of moisture intrusion within multiple different conditions, materials and/or products.

Locating moisture intrusion is no easy task, which is why our experienced staff coupled with the most state of the art equipment can help detect leaking in just about any situation, condition or material.

Water can run just about anywhere and this is especially true when we’re talking about water intrusion within a building envelope. Despite what many believe about moisture intrusion, water can enter into the smallest of openings and can stay within certain building materials for years, and never dry.

FAQ

Do you test decks?

We do test decks. Most decks are made up of a combination of different building materials. From the deck surface, there are a waterproof membrane and parameter flashings that maintain the watertight integrity of the deck. California isn’t known for its rainfall but we are known for ground movement. This movement can in some cases lead to failure within the deck system. On the other hand, time is a deck’s worst enemy. With time we have the degradation of the materials which leads to failure within the system. Whether the failure is a flashing, penetration or material failure, we have the ability to single-out the issue with our moisture intrusion, water testing methods.

Can you test horizontal areas?

Are you able to test my panoramic doors?

Is testing my stucco wall for leaks possible?

Did you know stucco is not a waterproofing material? That’s correct, unless otherwise specifically designed and manufactured to be a waterproof, it can allow water to penetrate the outer layer and then drain it to the bottom. At the bottom is a flashing called a weep screed which is made with holes that drain water from within the stucco wall covering. When these holes are otherwise blocked, water intrusion into the building can easily happen and does. Water Intrusion Specialist, by means of testing, can locate water draining into a building via the stucco wall and/or weep screed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or San Diego. In addition, we have expanded and are now providing help to clients in Arizona and Nevada.

Are reports generated after inspections?

One of the most important components to our water intrusion testing services is the written report. Although, not every test receives a written report, so you have to request that a report be provided after the moisture intrusion test is completed. Our reports typically provided as an electronic report (e-Report) with a narrative and photo images detailing the results of all testing performed on the structure.

Standards

Like with everything, there are rules… and water intrusion testing is not immune to having rules or parameters. For the most part, there are a handful of organizational institutions who dictate such standards for water intrusion inspection and testing like for example, AAMA or ASTM. These standards apply to just about everything building related like decks, roofs, exterior wall coverings just to name a few.

Moreover, it’s these standards which more or less prescribe the methods by which tests are to be performed and conducted. Most buildings have areas that succumb to degradation and because of this require specialized individuals with specialized equipment to performed forensic analysis to source water or moisture intrusion within a building or system and there is a standard for these tests.

On the other hand, newly installed systems such as windows also require specialized equipment and training to test these systems and likewise, there is also a standardized test for this as well.

Some of the standardized tests we perform for water intrusion testing;

ASTM D5957

ASTM 7053/7053M

ASTM E2128

ASTM E1105

ASTM E331

ASTM E547

ASTM C1601

AAMA 511-08

AAMA 502

ASTM 1869

ASTMD 4263

AAMA 501.2

Water Test Standards

502” Quality Assurance Field Testing –Performed on “newly” installed products to verify installed performance of the product and the installation. For many Los Angeles based builders, the AAMA 502 is one of the most common fenestration tests there is for new construction less than 6 months old. For one thing, the AAMA 502 fenestration test can be viewed as a means of quality control for building owners, contractors, and alike, to guard against poor craftsmanship not to mention the fenestrations ability to resist water and air infiltration early-on in the project.

If the AAMA 502 is a test performed for new fenestration products, then the ASTM E1105 is the go-to test for existing fenestration products. ASTM E1105 describes the testing procedures used to test the resistance of windows, doors, skylights and curtain walls to moisture penetration. Furthermore, the E1105 utilizes a special Calibrated spray apparatus on the exterior and an air chamber on the inside. This test allows the operator two choices for testing procedures; a uniform test which is constant or a cycled test which is thought to replicate a real-time rain event more accurately.

Standard Guide for Flood Testing Horizontal Waterproofing Installation. The intent of the D5957 is to provide a level of confidence that the installation of the waterproofing on a deck will remain watertight for the entire serviceable life of the substrate. This, based on the results of the performance of the system under ponded water for a specific limited time period. The D5957 is a test intended for waterproofing installations of decks, habitable spaces or elevated structures used as decks, but not roofs.

To be clear, there are essentially two sides to water intrusion testing. There is Quality Assurance Testing and there is Forensic Investigation. The Original Water Intrusion Specialist

Quality Assurance Water Testing

Quality Assurance Testing or QAT, within the building community and water intrusion testing industry refers to the testing of an installer’s final product or final installation, whatever that product may be.
The test can be performed in accordance with a very specific standard such as with fenestration testing, the AAMA 502 test or the ASTM E1105 test.

On the other hand, the test can also be at the discretion of the buildings owner to verify a competent installation. In other words, it a test performed so the original installer can be held accountable for any issues which may arise from such a test.

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Forensic Water Test Investigation

Water penetration into a building can come from many different systems. Understanding the “where and how” water enters into a building is known as a forensic investive approach. Most all good forensic investigations requires a certain level of DT or destructive testing. Destructive testing is also known as the removal of building finishes.

This removal of the buildings finishes like drywall or exterior cladding (i.e. stucco, brick, siding, etc). This process allows a qualified water intrusion test company, such as Water Intrusion Specialist, to better observe and report on where water is coming from.
In other words, it difficult to determine precisely where the water originates without destructive testing and forensic evaluation.

Disinterested Third Party

There are plenty of companies that are more than happy to evaluate or otherwise inspect your condition with hopes to obtain work. On the other hand, we are truly a disinterested neutral third-party testing company which is to say, we do not perform any physical construction work after our tests. Although our water intrusion testing is performed by industry recognized experts, we still have no interest in performing the construction-related part of the project which would be a conflict of interest; keep in mind we are neutral in the beginning (sourcing the leak) and are also neutral at the end (quality control testing to check the effectiveness of any repairs).

Once testing is completed, our water intrusion specialist team will provide you with a written report documenting the test results and recommendations on any additional steps that may be necessary depending on the results of the testing. No matter what test Water Intrusion Specialist provides, you can rest assured that we are there only as a neutral disinterested third-party firm to give you unbiased data.

A quick about

All things considered, there are many different individuals you can find on the internet who say they perform different types of water intrusion and leak investigation through the greater Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego areas. In other words, just about every contractor with a water hose will say they do water intrusion testing and can find the leak.

Although this may be true, and it is… not all contractors understand and or follow the standards which dictate or otherwise prescribe the scientific approach to testing systems as we do. This is because we’re a Water Intrusion Specialist Test Company only. Granted, there are literally hundreds of specific tests that can be performed in sourcing water infiltration. Therefore, it takes a trained professional who is experienced in rain leak detection and/or water intrusion testing to determine the right approach to sourcing the issue coupled with the appropriate test method.

Of course, you have to understand that this is what we do, every day. We look for water intrusion inside buildings, period. Whereas other contractors attempt to determine the leak point from a visual perspective in hopes to sell you on their service, we will not. Lastly, many contractors try to sell a one-stop-shop service to make it easy for you to hire one company to source the leak and make the repair, but in reality no contractor wants to take on the liability of fixing someone else’s mistake. What that means for you is that a contractor trying to get your business may perform some variant of a basic water-hose test to appease your want for a water test, when all that test does is hide the fact it was performed for show and then they simply quote you a “Remove and Replace” price that is sky high. Alternatively, you may have a smaller contractor come in who is trying to win your project and they may be fine performing some temporary band-aid/surface fix that won’t last long for a lower fee. So think carefully about all of your options before making any big decisions. When you’re ready to test and investigate with a team of professionals who approaches each project in a scientific manner and who only cares about delivering results, you know who to call.

What Areas in California do you Service?

We provide services throughout all of CA, including Southern, Central and Northern regions. Some of the major cities we are frequently working in include: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Berkeley, San Jose, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Bel Air, Marina Del Rey, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates, Calabasas, Encino, etc. If you are in CA we can most likely service your region depending on availability.

More Information

Infrared Thermography and Thermal Scanning
Homeowners Guide to Water Intrusion
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Summary

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Water Intrusion Specialist | Los Angeles | San Francisco | San Diego

Description

Water can run just about anywhere and this is especially true when we're talking about water intrusion into a residential home or commercial building in Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego. Despite what many believe about water leakage and moisture intrusion, water can enter into the smallest of openings and can stay within certain building materials for years, and never dry. This page is dedicated to providing some insight into rain leak detection and testing.

WIS Building Science Division

Company

Water Intrusion Specialist (WIS)

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