FREE Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Construction, Diagnosis, Maintenance & Repair The accuracy & trustworthiness of every article or Q&A is researched by human experts. See WHO ARE WE?
POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about brick wall weep inserts & where to buy masonry wall weep opening inserts & products for shell drains.
New construction & repair guidelines for homes subject to flood damage through brick veneer walls:
This page provides copies of FEMA and other expert sources recommending constuction or repair details that reduce future damage to buildings located in flood prone areas.
This article series discusses brick or stone veneer wall construction and flood damage repairs. Page top photo: rudimentary flood vents at the base of a brick veneer masonry wall in Venice, Italy.
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
Codes, Standards, Recommendations for Veneer Wall Repair in Flood Zones
This page includes research, building codes, standards, and references for recommended construction methods to minimize flood damage to veneer-wall constructed buildings. We also cite experts who have provided technical review of this article series.
Some of these standards are best-applied to new construction while others provide detailed repair advice for buildings being repaired or re-constructed after suffering flood damage.
These references support the following masonry veneer wall structure repair articles:
Photo: at this building in Venice, Italy, we see both foundation flood vents used where the building structure includes open space below grade and elevated drain openings in the brick cavity wall.
Brick Industry Association, "BRICK VENEER WALL / WOOD STUD WALLS" [PDF] , BIA, 1850 Centennial Park Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191 Brick Industry Association, 12007 Sunrise Valley Drive
Suite 430
Reston, Virginia 20191
703-620-0010
brickinfo@bia.org Website: www.gobrick.com, Tel: 703-620-0010 retrieved 2017/09/27, original source: http://www.gobrick.com/portals/25/docs/technical%20notes/tn28.pdf - request sent by email 2017/09/27
Excerpt: This bulletin describes design, construction, and planning requirements for the floodproofing of non-residential buildings under the ‘National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations and how to correctly complete the NFIP’s Floodproofing Certificate for Non-Residential Structures form.
For the purposes of this bulletin, floodproofing means making a building watertight, substantially impermeable to floodwaters.
FEMA, “Design Manual for Retrofitting Flood-Prone Residential Structures,” FEMA, September 1986, FEMA-1 14.
FLOOD VENTS & FLOOD PORTS - cites codes & details of flood vents & other construction details to avoid damage in flood zone areas
Comment:
I recently saw your article on remediating flooded brick walls, and wanted to share an approach that you may not have seen before. It maintains a drainage gap behind the masonry and installs closed cell spray foam in the stud cavity, resulting in a drainable, dryable, flood resistant wall. - Tyler Leclear Vachta - by private email to editor 2017/09/29
Pace, Carl E., FLOOD PROOFING TESTS, Tests of Materials and Systems for Flood Proofing Structures [PDF] (1988) AD-A209 380 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Flood Proofing Committee
Excerpt: It was determined by model and prototype tests that brick-veneer and concrete block walls can withstand only approximately 3 ft of static water head without damage. If a building or home is loaded to excessive depths, it can fail instantaneously and possibly result in injury or death to occupants.
US ARMY COE , “Block and Brick Wall Integrity Against Water Heights and Systems and Materials to Prevent Flood Waters From Entering Buildings,” Carl E. Pace, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways
Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1984.
US ARMY COE , “Tests of Brick-Veneer Walls and Enclosures for Resistance to Flood Waters,” Carl E. Pace, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lower Mississippi Division, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1978.
Excerpts: Regulation of the use of flood plain lands is a responsibility of State and local governments and can be accomplished by a variety of means, such as establishment of designated floodways and encroachment lines, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, and building codes.
These land use controls, most often known
as "Flood Plain Regulations," do not attempt to reduce or eliminate flooding but instead are intended to guide and regulate flood plain development to lessen the adverse effects of floods.
Flood prone communities in the United States participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are required to adopt and enforce
such flood plain regulations to qualify for the sale of federally-backed flood insurance to its residents.
American Excelsior Company, 850 Avenue H East,
Arlington, TX 76011, Tel: 800-777-7645 Website: http://americanexcelsior.com/ - request sent by web contact form 2017/09/27
American Foam Products, 753 Liberty St., Painesville, OH 44077, Tel: 440) 352-3434 Website: http://www.americanfoamproducts.com Email: sales@americanfoam.net - request sent by web contact form 2017/09/27
Design Converting 3470 Raleigh Dr SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, Tel: 800-532-0059, Website: http://designconverting.com/ - request sent by web contact form 2017/09/27
Rempac Foam LLC, REMPAC Foam Corporation 370 W Passaic St Rochelle Park, NJ - 07662 (973) 881-8880 Website: http://www.rempac.com/ - request sent by web contact form 2017/09/27
Wisconsin Foam Products 4808 Helgesen Drive Madison, WI 53718, Tel: 800-989-3626 (608-221-4385) Website: http://www.wifoam.com/ - request sent by web contact form 2017/09/27
Additional technical review and comment requests
of other building professionals, moisture experts, and closed cell foam insulation companies. We will add and acknowledge their remarks and edits here.
Special thanks to Ron Samuelson for raising the question about the resistance of closed cell insulating foam insulation to water and water intrusion.
Flood Control International, Flood Control International Limited, Kilworthy Park, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0FZ UK Registered in England, No 4934945,
Tel: +44 (0)1822 619730 Email: enquiries@floodcontrolint.com Website: http://www.floodcontrolinternational.com/
Excerpt:
Flood Control International is a UK based specialist supplier and installer of the most comprehensive range of flood defences systems in the world.
We design, manufacture, supply and install bespoke engineered flood defences, including flood barriers, flood gates and flood doors. We also produce equipment for chemical spill containment.
Our flood defence products are manufactured and specified to extremely high standards, which means that they provide dependable and guaranteed flood prevention.
Flood Control International's products for flood defences as well as Chemical Containment are categorised in 3 main areas:Flood Barriers, Flood Gates, Flood Doors.
Glen-Gery Corporation, GLEN-GERY CLAY THIN BRICK GUIDE SPECIFICATION [PDF], Glen-Gery Corporation, Tel: (484) 334-8827 Website: https://www.glengery.com - request sent by web contact form 2017/09/27
GUIDE SPECIFICATION FOR ANCHORED MASONRY VENEER, [PDF], Masonry Institute of Washington, 506 Second Avenue, Suite 1400, Seattle, WA 98104, Tel: 206-582-5072 Website: www.masonryinstitute.com - request sent by email 2017/09/27
Steve Bliss's Building Advisor at buildingadvisor.com helps homeowners & contractors plan & complete successful building & remodeling projects: buying land, site work, building design, cost estimating, materials & components, & project management through complete construction. Email: info@buildingadvisor.com
Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com
Steve, publisher & editor of our sister website Building Advisor, offers two articles on flooding and water damage that may be helpful. See
See also FOUNDATIONS & SITEWORK at BUILDING ADVISOR.COM [This link leaves InspectApedia.com] - Articles on basement drainage and leakage, more relevant to new construction than repair work.
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[1] Williams, M.F., Williams B.L., "Water Intrusion in Barrier and Cavity / Rain Screen Walls", Water in Exterior Building Walls: Problems and Solutions, ASTM STP 1107, Thomas A. Schwartz, Eds., American Society for Testing and Materials, ASHRAE, Philadelphia, 1991, retrieved 8/10/12, Abstract:
Exterior walls are designed and constructed using barrier or cavity / rain screen wall principles. Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) are typically constructed as barrier walls; masonry is often constructed as a cavity wall. These wall systems are discussed along with common deficiencies that allow water intrusion to occur.
[Mark F. Williams and Barbara Lamp Williams are president and vice president respectively of Kenny/Williams/Williams, Inc., a building diagnostics firm at 945 Tennis Ave., Maple Glen PA 19002.]
Airolite BVC Brick Vents (extruded aluminum), The Airolite Company, LLC, PO Box 410, Schofield WI 54476, Tel: 715-841-8757 Web: http://www.airolite.com/
Brick Development Association, The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London, WC1E 7BT, England, U.K., Tel: 020 7323 7030, Email: brick@brick.org.uk Web: http://www.brick.org.uk
Brick Industry Association, 1850 Centennial Park Drive, Suite 301, Reston, VA 20191 Phone: 703.620.0010 Fax: 703.620.3928 Web: http://www.gobrick.com/
Brickvent™, Masonry Innovations, Masonry Innovations, 36 Woodview Drive, Pittsboro, IN 46167, Tel: 317.341.0882 or 317.695.0509, Email: info@masonryinnovations.com Web: http://masonryinnovations.com/ - the company provides this BrickVent™ MOISTURE CONTROL SYSTEM INSTRUCTIONS [PDF] . Web Search 02/16/2011, original source: http://masonryinnovations.com/Instruction_Sheet.pdf
Canada Masonry Centre, 360 Superior Blvd., Mississauga ON Canada L5T 2N7. Tel: (905) 564-6622 Web: http://www.canadamasonrycentre.com/ - CMC Offers the CMCA Textbook of Canadian Masonry.
Masonry Design Manual, James E. Amrhein & Walter L. Dickey, Civil & Structural Engineers, Masonry Industry Advancement Committee, Masonry Institute of America, ASIN B0006XMFZE
Tamlyn Building Products, Tom Tamlyn, President, 13623 Pike Rd., Stafford TX 77477, Tel: 800-334-1676 Web: http://www.tamlyn.com
"Concrete Slab Finishes and the Use of the F-number System", Matthew Stuart, P.E., S.E., F.ASCE, online course at www.pdhonline.org/courses/s130/s130.htm
Sal Alfano - Editor, Journal of Light Construction*
Thanks to Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for technical critique and some of the foundation inspection photographs cited in these articles
Arlene Puentes, ASHI, October Home Inspections - (845) 216-7833 - Kingston NY
Greg Robi, Magnum Piering - 800-822-7437 - National*
Dave Rathbun, P.E. - Geotech Engineering - 904-622-2424 FL*
Ed Seaquist, P.E., SIE Assoc. - 301-269-1450 - National
Dave Wickersheimer, P.E. R.A. - IL, professor, school of structures division, UIUC - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Architecture. Professor Wickersheimer specializes in structural failure investigation and repair for wood and masonry construction. * Mr. Wickersheimer's engineering consulting service can be contacted at HDC Wickersheimer Engineering Services. (3/2010)
*These reviewers have not returned comment 6/95
Masonry structures: The Masonry House, Home Inspection of a Masonry Building & Systems, Stephen Showalter (director, actor), DVD, Quoting: Movie Guide Experienced home inspectors and new home inspectors alike are sure to learn invaluable tips in this release designed to take viewers step-by-step through the home inspection process. In addition to being the former president of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), a longstanding member of the NAHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and the Environmental Standard Organization (IESO), host Stephen Showalter has performed over 8000 building inspections - including environmental assessments. Now, the founder of a national home inspection school and inspection training curriculum shares his extensive experience in the inspection industry with everyday viewers looking to learn more about the process of evaluating homes. Topics covered in this release include: evaluation of masonry walls; detection of spalling from rebar failure; inspection of air conditioning systems; grounds and landscaping; electric systems and panel; plumbing supply and distribution; plumbing fixtures; electric furnaces; appliances; evaluation of electric water heaters; and safety techniques. Jason Buchanan --Jason Buchanan, All Movie Review
Masonry Design for Engineers and Architects, M. Hatzinikolas, Y. Korany, Canadian Masonry (2005), ISBN-10: 0978006100, ISBN-13: 978-0978006105
Masonry Structures: Behavior and Design, Robert G. Drysdale, Ahmid A. Hamid, Lawrie R. Baker, The Masonry Society; 2nd edition (1999), ISBN-10: 1929081014, ISBN-13: 978-1929081011
Masonry, Engineered: Using the Canadian Code, J. I. Gainville, Cantext publications (1983), ASIN: B0007C37PG
Masonry, Non-reinforced masonry design tables, Hans J. Schultz, National Concrete Producers Association and the Canadian Masonry Contractors Association (1976), ASIN: B0007C2LQM
Diagnosing & Repairing House Structure Problems, Edgar O. Seaquist, McGraw Hill, 1980 ISBN 0-07-056013-7 (obsolete, incomplete, missing most diagnosis steps, but very good reading; out of print but used copies are available at Amazon.com, and reprints are available from some inspection tool suppliers). Ed Seaquist was among the first speakers invited to a series of educational conferences organized by D Friedman for ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors, where the topic of inspecting the in-service condition of building structures was first addressed.
Domestic Building Surveys, Andrew R. Williams, Kindle book, Amazon.com
Defects and Deterioration in Buildings: A Practical Guide to the Science and Technology of Material Failure, Barry Richardson, Spon Press; 2d Ed (2001), ISBN-10: 041925210X, ISBN-13: 978-0419252108.>
Guide to Domestic Building Surveys, Jack Bower, Butterworth Architecture, London, 1988, ISBN 0-408-50000 X
In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.