How widespread is the high-rise leak problem?
As with the low-rise moisture troubled buildings, there are certain characteristics that typify leaky high-rise buildings. They are constructed with face seal wall assemblies and many of them are clad either with stucco or [an exterior insulation finish system known as] EIFS (although the cladding type does not cause the problems). There were a large number of these buildings constructed in the same time frame as the low-rise buildings (1985 to 1997) although they tend to be more concentrated in downtown areas of the major urban areas. Most of this type of building will need to be rehabilitated at some point in the future. However, because the consequences of moisture intrusion are somewhat less in high-rise buildings (no failure of the primary structure) it is sometimes possible to extend the life of these walls for several years through targeted repairs. Q. What typical symptoms should high-rise owners look for? Symptoms are varied but include: leaks showing up on the interior of the
