If you think you smell mold, you probably do.
Your home, condo, office or retail building may have severe internal water damage. Frame and masonry buildings with flat and gable roofs can absorb and trap a huge amount of water in the walls, roof system, insulation and masonry.
This moisture breeds mold throughout the entire structure.
Reports confirm thousands of commercial, multi-unit and single-family buildings in Chicagoland, have water damage and mold growth requiring immediate attention to avoid expensive repairs.
Unlike storm damage, this damage stems from poor flashing details, improperly terminated roofs, inferior materials and inadequate ventilation.
On buildings with Flat Roofs, parapet walls are prone to leaking and structural damage. Parapets are the 12"-48"
high walls surrounding the roof deck. While parapets add beauty to the building, their practical purpose is to hide and protect mechanicals, like air conditioning units.
Poor ventilation combined with extreme weather – cold, wet winters and hot, humid summers – equal leaks, mold and rot.
Buildings with Hip Roofs and Multiple-Level Pitched Roofs (Hips, Valleys and Gables) have ventilation issues as well.
The shortened rafters in Hip and Valley Roofs create air- flow deadends and confined attic areas. This limits airflow in and out of those areas and prevents moisture release to the ridge vent or mushroom vents.
Stagnant, moist air, plus insulation and wood, provide the perfect breeding ground for mold. WickRight Vapor Release Systems help correct airflow issues, providing a constant flow of fresh air that helps prevent mold and dry out wet structures.
WICKRIGHT PROTECTS BUILDINGS FROM WATER DAMAGE & MOLD
WickRight Vapor Release Systems Provide Maximum Ventilation to Roof Systems
Condensation drips back into wall core. Moisture migrates from heated block to cool building interior, soaking insulation and drywall.
Rotting ceiling joists, roof decking and insulation.
Frost build-up under coping links condensation to structural damage.
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Bob Kelly preparing to install WickRight Hip & Valley VRS.
WICKRIGHT VAPOR RELEASE SYSTEMS™
312-720-1467
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Helping Buildings Breathe Right Since 2012 Fall 2014 Newsletter
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Helping Buildings Breathe Right Since 2012 Fall 2015 Newsletter
WickRight Mission – Save Buildings
WickRight founder, Bob Kelly, is a 25-year veteran General Contractor, Master Carpenter, Inventor and life-long student of Building Science.
Through his restoration business, he discovered that many buildings around Chicago have severe moisture damage.
While restoring dozens of multi-unit buildings and working with local building inspectors and building scientists, Kelly invented WickRight Vapor Release Systems.
Moisture intrusion is a complex issue and is different for each building. All variables are not addressed in this brochure. Please visit our website or call for more information.
WickRight has you covered
We stand by our products and our installers. WickRight products come with a limited lifetime warranty on parts and labor when installed by WickRight subcontractor Installation teams and WickRight Certified Installers.
All WickRight installers and subcontractors are trained and certified
All WickRight installers are trained by Kelly, personally.
His success as a general contractor and historic
preservation specialist is based on master craftsmanship and solid business practices. Nothing less is acceptable.
We offer free training to outside contractors interested in installing WickRight products. Ask your preferred vendors to become WickRight Certified.
Bob Kelly, Founder, President WickRight™ Inc.
WickRight Vapor Release Systems™ Help Keep Water Out, Yet Release Moisture Vapor to Keep Buildings Dry for Decades
Stage 1 – Musty, Moldy Odors
Moisture trapped in attics breeds mold that rots wood trusses or ceiling joists, roof decking, wall studs, furring strips, insulation and drywall.
If there is a musty-moldy smell wafting through your living space, the air may not be healthy. Call a home inspector immediately to determine next steps.
Having WickRight installed will provide essential ventilation and help stop mold growth.
Stage 2 – Structural Damage
Paint bubbling on the exterior or interior wood trim?
Warped ceiling trim? Water stains on drywall? Sagging ceiling? Call a home inspector immediately.
Sagging ceilings are potentially dangerous. Sagging occurs when drywall becomes saturated and moisture-laden joists begin to rot away. If your building’s essential support systems rot away, the building may become unsafe.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS
Signs of Inadequate Ventilation & Water Damage in PITCHED ROOF Buildings
Trust Your Eyes AND Your Nose
Stage 1 – Efflorescence on Masonry Buildings
The first sign is Efflorescence – a white, chalky stain on the exterior of masonry buildings – this occurs when moisture weeps out through the face of the masonry, bringing with it mineral deposits which causes staining. These stains are usually near windows, doors and in random spots toward the upper floors.
Drive through Chicago or our suburbs and look for efflores- cence. In many Chicago neighborhoods more than 30% of the buildings will have this telltale marking.
If your building has efflorescence, call a home inspector, not a sealant company. While it is important to seal some masonry, this is not the right time. Sealing the exterior of a wet building prior to adding ventilation will cause more damage and a couple things may happen, including:
1. Moisture will migrate IN. Water may leak from the ceilings, near windows, doors and electrical outlets.
2. In the winter, the water can build up behind the face of sealed brick, freeze and crack the face off the brick.
It is important to have your building assessed by a Home Inspector. They can determine the root of your building’s problems and refer you to the proper repair specialists.
Stage 2 – Parapet-itis™ – All Parapets
Parapet-itis occurs when the parapets do not have proper drainage and ventilation. Trapped moisture breeds mold that decays wood trusses or ceiling joists, roof decking, wall studs, furring strips, insulation and drywall.
If there is a musty-moldy smell, the air may not be healthy.
Do not delay calling a home inspector.
Stage 3 – Pancaking – All Multi-Story Buildings
Sagging ceiling? Call a home inspector immediately.
Sagging occurs when moisture-laden joists begin to rot away. If this essential support system rots through completely, pancaking may occur.
Pancaking is when an upper story of a building falls to the story below. This may cause catastrophic property damage and fatalities. Unfortunately, home inspectors are reporting rotting joists on a regular basis.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS
Signs of Inadequate Ventilation & Water Damage in FLAT ROOF Buildings
Condensation forming on the exterior proves moisture is moving up and out of the interior of the brick façade.
Lighter colored bricks indicate that moisture has exited the parapet wall. The dark area indicates moisture trapped in wall below Thru-Wall Flashing.
Stains stand out on red brick, old and new. This does NOT mean that brick is more prone to moisture absorption/damage than other masonry.
Wet Split Face Block buildings typically look wet. Staining may be less obvious than on brick, but the damage is typically far more severe.
1. Patented WickRight Coping VRS™ is a multi-layered, vapor permeable device that surrounds the top of the parapet wall. It seals water out, yet allows moisture vapor
to continuously release from the parapet wall core and out the vapor release portals.2. Patented WickRight Roof VRS™ puts essential breathability between the parapet wall and the roof system to vent moisture from the roof system.
3. Patented WickRight ParapetVent® Coping System is a corrosion-free, coping unit and interior wall assembly that completely prevents water from entering the top and interior side of the parapet wall. It also seals the roof termination point.
4. Patent-Pending WickRight Breathe-Weep™ is a multi-layered vapor permeable device designed to drain excess moisture away from joists and truss systems when Thru-Wall Flashing is inadequate or missing. It is placed in vertical mortar joints beneath Thru-Wall Flashing.
WickRight Flat Roof Products also work on parapets of Frame Buildings and buildings with some Mansard Roof configurations.
8”
4”
3”
2”
1”
3/4”
mauve membran under green tube - thicker 10mmwidth of wall
*Not all masonry walls are constructed in this manner.
Cross Section of a Split Face Block Parapet Wall AFTER remediation, professional sealant and installation of the complete WickRight Vapor Release System™.
How Flat Roof WickRight Vapor Release Systems™ Work Together to Help Buildings BREATHE Deep, Dry Out and Stay Dry
WickRight ParapetVent® Coping System WickRight Coping VRSTM
ParapetVent® Interior Wall Assembly
WickRight Roof VRSTM Chem-Trete
Sealant
WickRight Breathe-WeepTM can be placed in vertical mortar joints beneath Thru-Wall Flashings Mortar
Bridge
mauve membran under green tube - thicker 10mm
width of wall
mauve membran under green tube - thicker 10mmwidth of wall
Limestone Capstone WickRight Capstone VRSTM
Thru-wall Flashing Cross Section of Brick Façade with Cinder Block interior wall,
Stone Capstone and WickRight Capstone VRS™
Patented WickRight Capstone VRS™ is a multi-layered vapor permeable device specifically designed for use under capstones and to do 2 important jobs.
1. Seal the top of the wall, preventing additional water absorption from the capstone.
2. Allow moisture to continuously release from the parapet wall core and out the vapor release portals.
Capstone walls can also be finished with the
WickRight Roof VRS™, ParapetVent®, Interior Wall Assembly and Breathe-Weep™.
1
2 3
4
How Moisture Becomes Trapped in Walls with Metal Copings
This is a typical Split Face Block Wall. The basic metal coping on top of the wall, if installed properly, can keep water out of the top of the wall.
However, wind-driven rain
enters under the coping and thru unsealed masonry and becomes trapped in the wall. Moisture can also enter behind the roof termination bar soaking the roof decking and insula- tion. This moisture settles through the masonry and is absorbed into the wood joists/truss system.In the summer, when temperatures rise, the trapped moisture vapor
rises, but it can’t escape through the metal coping. Moisture then leaches to the exterior of the masonry bringing with it mineral deposits, which cause white stains, called Efflorescence. Moisture also travels the opposite direction and is absorbed by the roof insulation, plywood decking and wood joists/trusses.Summer heat causes Vapor Drive, which pushes the moisture toward the cool interior and water may soak drywall and leak through electrical outlets. Moisture trapped between the masonry wall and the drywall causes mold growth in the insulation.
Winter’s Freeze/Thaw cycles will deteriorate the block and may cause more structural damage.
How Moisture Becomes Trapped in Walls with Capstones
Natural Limestone and Manufactured Capstones look great, but are extremely porous and a main entrance point for water. Studies show that water poured on top of a manufactured capstone can penetrate and exit in minutes.
Capstones do allow moisture in AND out. Unfortunately, the amount of moisture that flows IN is measurable in gallons, depending on the rate of precipitation. The evaporation rate, however, is not significant.
This diagram shows that rain comes in from the top and sides of the capstone, and wind-driven rain
pushes through the brick and block walls.Moisture absorbed by the brick wall reaches the block wall via mortar bridges in the cavity wall. Mortar bridges, which are
unfortunately quite common in modern construction, also obstruct the rising moisture vapor.
The same Leaching, Vapor Drive, Mold Growth and Freeze/Thaw principles above apply to this type of wall.
*Not all masonry walls are constructed in this manner.
Metal Coping
*Not all masonry walls are constructed in this manner.
Limestone Capstone
Mortar Bridge
WickRight Perimeter VRS™ and WickRight Hip & Valley VRS™ work together to Help Prevent Mold in Attics, Minimize Ice Damming
WickRight Pitched Roof products are
designed to help circulate fresh air throughout the attic space – in Gable Roofs, as well as Hip and Valley roofs.
Patent-Pending WickRight Perimeter VRS is specifically designed to let fresh air into the attic space at the perimeter of the roof.
This fresh air will physically push the stagnant, moisture-laden air hanging in the attic upward, toward the hip ridges, valleys and ridgeline.
This additional airflow along the entire perimeter creates enough air movement to release odors from moldy insulation and plywood decking and help dry it out.
Air circulation also helps keep the roof cool, which can significantly reduce ice damming that damages the shingles and gutters.
Patent-Pending WickRight Hip & Valley VRS is specifically designed to guide moisture- laden air out of the attic. The air travels from the perimeter of the roof through the shortened rafter spaces of hip and valley roofs toward the ridge vent or mushroom vents.
Removing moisture/humidity from the attic reduces the attic temperature, and reduces one vital component to mold production.
Without moisture, mold can not grow.
WickRight recommends replacing mushroom vents with ridge vents. Not only are ridge vents more attractive than mushroom vents, like WickRight products, they provide continuous linear ventilation. There are many quality ridge vent brands to choose from.
How WickRight Pitched Roof Vapor Release Systems Work Together to Help Your Building BREATH Deep, Dry Out and Stay Dry
New construction features multi-level rooflines that, while attractive, pose problems for ventilation and climate control.
Bob Kelly
installing WickRight Perimeter VRS.
How WickRight Perimeter VRS Creates Maximum Airflow in Gable Roofs and Hip Roofs
Increased airflow in the attic space reduces moisture build-up in the insulation and wood trusses, rafters and plywood sheathing. Moisture reduction retards mold growth, and may significantly improve the indoor air quality of the building.
The orange arrows indicate the airflow direction of fresh air from the exterior through the WickRight Perimeter VRS (light blue) which is installed along the soffit line, against the facia and behind the gutter of a building.
Other perimeter vents place airflow conductors right at the roofline, relying on access through gaps in the roof to wall construction, but WickRight Perimeter VRS moves air beyond the roof’s edge and into the actual attic space, just above the insulation to maximize air circulation.
Without fresh, moving air, attics are the perfect environment for mold growth.
View from interior of attic – WickRight Perimeter and Hip VRS installed.
Cross section with WickRight Perimeter VRS installed — draws fresh air in behind the gutter and releases it into the roof perimeter.
How WickRight Hip & Valley VRS Helps Dry Out Wet Attics
WickRight Hip & Valley VRS is placed directly on the roof hip and in the roof valley. It creates open space between the roof deck and the rafters, allowing stagnant air to pass between rafter spaces where it is typically trapped.
The orange arrows indicate how air flows up the rafter line and between rafters — via air portals in the WickRight Hip & Valley VRS — and ultimately out of the building via the ridge vent.
Without WickRight VRS, stagnant air and moisture may remain trapped in the enclosed areas between the rafters. This is the perfect breeding ground for mold.
No air movement – Insulation along the edge of the roofline becomes saturated with moisture from condensation and mold forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. “Can you see WickRight products when they are installed?”
A.
No. We understand that architectural details are essential for curb appeal. That’s why most WickRight products are invisible or nearly invisible.WickRight Coping VRS™ is designed to work under most manufacturer’s copings; standard or custom.
In addition to our standard WickRight ParapetVent® Copings, we offer custom architectural profiles that mimic classic coping designs in a broad range of materials and designer colors to compliment any building style.
WickRight Capstone VRS™ was specifically designed for use under capstones, so that the natural beauty of the capstone can continue to grace your building after remediation.
WickRight Pitched Roof products are undetectable after shingles and gutters are installed.
Q. “How much will this repair cost?”
A.
Every building deteriorates in its own unique way due to internal and external forces. An estimate can not be given without a complete evaluation.Moisture Remediation and WickRight VRS Installation aren’t cheap. Many owners will need a loan to complete all the necessary steps, which can typically be com- pleted in stages to spread the cost over several years.
Remediation costs are based on the damage sustained and are charged based on the time and materials needed to complete the repair properly. Remediation estimates can fluctuate, as additional damage is often uncovered during the repair process. We update our clients and estimates as damage is discovered.
The cost of purchasing WickRight Vapor Release Systems™ is calculated using the appropriate product price per linear foot, multiplied by the perimeter measurement of your building.
A WickRight project manager will perform the inital assessment. Based on the assessment, we will determine the best sequence for staging repairs and accurately estimating costs.
Call 312-720-1467 to schedule an assessment
WickRight Inc. • 846 Chestnut Street, Deerfield, IL 60015 • 312-720-1467 • WickRight.com
VAPOR RELEASE SYSTEMS™
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© WickRight, Inc. 2015
WickRight™ is a trademark of WickRight, Inc. WickRight Vapor Release System™, WickRight VRS™, WickRight Coping VRS™, WickRight Roof VRS™, WickRight Breathe-Weep™, WickRight Capstone VRS™, WickRight Perimeter VRS™, WickRight Hip & Valley VRS™, Parapetitis™, Buildings Breathe Right™ are trademarks of WickRight Inc. WickRight ParapetVent® Coping System is a registered trademark of WickRight Inc.
