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Field inspection and leak remediation · Lesson 3 of 4

Field inspection and leak remediation: methods and worked application

The step-by-step path from leak call to closed-out repair, with worked examples for locating the roof point, budgeting a spray test and counting a warranty notice day.

You will be able to: Apply a documented method to a realistic inspection and leak task: follow the sequence, locate the roof point, budget a diagnostic spray test, and record assumptions, units and inspection points.

14 min · 12 slides · 10 questions

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Slide 1 of 12

The path from leak call to closed-out repair

A suggested order built from the sources, not set by UFC or NRCA: safety plan, warranty check, history, interior map, exterior survey, non-destructive method if needed, designed water test if needed, repair to the documented cause, verification, record.

UFC is for U.S. military projects; here it is a model, not a general rule.

Diagram: the flow chart shows the same path with its decision points.

From leak call to closed-out repairA ten-step flow chart: safety plan, warranty check, history, interior map, exterior survey, non-destructive check when needed, designed water test, repair to the cause, repeat the same check, record the result. Side notes mark the gates: at least two people, ask the warrantor, check neighbours, and a designed test.Safety plan and accessAt least two peopleCheck the warrantyWarranty? Ask thewarrantor firstRecord the historyMap the stain insideSurvey the roof outsideNo defect there?Check walls androoftop unitsNon-destructivecheck, if neededWater test, if neededThe consultant orthe spec designs itRepair to the causeRepeat the same checkRecord the result

Flow chart of ten steps from the safety plan and warranty check through survey, a non-destructive check when needed, an optional water test, repair to the cause, repeating the same check and recording the result.

The path in order. Amber notes mark the gates: at least two people, ask the warrantor, check the neighbours, and a designed test.

Sources

Videos for this lesson

What this video shows: A contractor shows where to check a standing seam roof: gutters, finish damage, chalk to find hail dents, pipe boot sealants, ridge cap and valleys. Its yearly intervals are one contractor's advice.

Video: How to Inspect a Metal Roof - Tech Tuesday by Lifetime Commercial Roofing, on YouTube. AFS checked its description against this lesson.

Glossary

Spray section
One length of joint, 5 ft in the AAMA 501.2 glazing method, that is wetted for a set time while an observer watches for water inside. In that method sections of a wall are tested one at a time from lowest to highest; on a level joint the specification sets the order.
Observer
The person inside the building who watches for water during a diagnostic spray test and records which section was being wetted when it appeared.
Correlated location
The point on the roof that matches a measured position of interior leak damage, found by measuring from a stated reference point, such as the outside face of a parapet. UFC says to proceed with repair if a defect is apparent there.