- Condition
- CE 1.1: Water Leakage Through Buried Roof Slab - Exposed To Chlorides
- Article Type
- Common Element
- Article Number
- 1.1
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
- Buried roof slabs shall be designed and constructed to prevent water penetration and leakage and to protect the slab from exposure to chlorides in accordance with the Ontario Building Code including CSA 413 and the design.
- Warranty
- One-Year –Work and Materials. Two-Year - Building Envelope Water Penetration
- Action
- The waterproofing system, not meeting acceptable performance, shall be repaired.
- Condition
- CE 1.2: Leakage Through Buried Roof Slab - Not Exposed To Chlorides
- Article Type
- Common Element
- Article Number
- 1.2
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
Buried roof slabs shall be designed and constructed to prevent water penetration and leakage in accordance with the Ontario Building Code and the design.
- Warranty
One-Year – Work and Materials. Two-Year - Building Envelope Water Penetration
- Action
The waterproofing system, not meeting acceptable performance, shall be repaired.
- Condition
- FH 1.3: Concrete Surface is Flaking off
- Article Type
- Freehold
- Article Number
- 1.3
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
Concrete surfaces shall not disintegrate to the extent that the aggregate is exposed under normal conditions of weathering and use.
- Warranty
One-Year. Work and Materials · Surface deterioration due to owner-applied substances, improper maintenance, or normal wear and tear is excluded from the statutory warranty.
- Action
Where defective installation or product is determined, the concrete surface shall be repaired.
- Condition
- CE 1.5: Cracks In Conventionally Reinforced Concrete Elements
- Article Type
- Common Element
- Article Number
- 1.5
- Performance
Cracks resulting from normal shrinkage or cracks anticipated in the design are acceptable.
- Warranty
One -Year – Work and Materials
- Action
No action required.
- Condition
- CE 1.7: Concrete Surface Scaling
- Article Type
- Common Element
- Article Number
- 1.7
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
Concrete surfaces shall not disintegrate to the extent that the aggregate is exposed under normal use.
- Warranty
One-Year – Work and Materials
- Action
The concrete surface shall be repaired.
- Condition
- FH 1.7: Concrete Block Foundation Wall is Cracked
- Article Type
- Freehold
- Article Number
- 1.7
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
- Cracks resulting from normal shrinkage are acceptable; cracks in excess of 2 mm in width are not acceptable.
- Warranty
- One-Year - Work and Materials. · Cracks resulting from normal shrinkage of materials caused by drying after construction are excluded from the statutory warranty.
- Action
- Cracks in excess of the acceptable condition shall be repaired.
- Condition
- CE 1.8: Ponding Water on Surfaces
- Article Type
- Common Element
- Article Number
- 1.8
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
Surfaces which are sloped for drainage may have minor variations in the surface may impede immediate drainage and are acceptable. Standing water with a depth of less than 6 mm and in a pond less than 1m in breadth 24 hours after wetting is acceptable unless it is located in any area of the surface which cannot be easily avoided during normal pedestrian use (examples would be the area immediately beside a doorway or where an individual steps when exiting their parked car or similar) in which case any ponding remaining after 24 hours is not acceptable.
- Warranty
One-Year – Work and Materials
- Action
Ponding in excess of acceptable performance shall be repaired.
- Condition
- CE 1.9: Exposed Cast-In-Place Concrete Is Honeycombed
- Article Type
- Common Element
- Article Number
- 1.9
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
Cast-in-place concrete exposed to view shall have no honeycombing.
- Warranty
One-Year - Work and Materials
- Action
Walls with honeycombing shall be repaired.
- Condition
- FH 1.9: Exposed Cast-In-Place Concrete Foundation Wall Has Holes In Surface
- Article Type
- Freehold
- Article Number
- 1.9
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
The exterior portion of foundation walls exposed to view above grade shall have no holes (including “honeycombing”) larger than 50 mm in diameter or 25 mm deep.
- Warranty
One-Year – Work and Materials
- Action
Walls with holes exceeding the acceptable condition shall be repaired.
- Condition
- FH 1.10: Cast-In-Place Concrete Foundation Wall is Cracked
- Article Type
- Freehold
- Article Number
- 1.10
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
Cracks resulting from normal shrinkage are acceptable; cracks in excess of 6 mm in width are not acceptable.
- Warranty
One-Year - Work and Materials. · Cracks resulting from normal shrinkage of materials caused by drying after construction are excluded from the statutory warranty.
- Condition
- FH 1.13: Foundation Wall Leaks
- Article Type
- Freehold
- Article Number
- 1.13
- Warranty Year(s)
- Two Year
- Performance
- Foundation walls shall allow no water penetration.
- Warranty
- Two-Year - Basement Water Penetration. Water leakage resulting from improper maintenance, exterior grade alterations made by the homeowner, an act of God or failure of municipal services or other utilities is excluded from the statutory warranty. Secondary damage to property or any personal injury resulting from the water penetration is also excluded from the statutory warranty.
- Action
- Defects resulting in water penetration through the basement or foundation shall be repaired.
- Condition
- FH 1.14: Water Leakage Through Basement Floor Slab
- Article Type
- Freehold
- Article Number
- 1.14
- Warranty Year(s)
- Two Year
- Performance
Basement floor slabs shall allow no water penetration.
- Warranty
Two-Year - Basement Water Penetration. Water leakage resulting from improper maintenance, exterior grade alterations made by the homeowner, an act of God or failure of municipal services or other utilities is excluded from the statutory warranty. Secondary damage to property or any personal injury resulting from the water penetration is also excluded from the statutory warranty.
- Action
Defects resulting in water penetration through the basement floor slab shall be repaired. Subsurface investigation may be required.
- Condition
- FH 4.19: Water Leakage at Doors and Windows or at the top of the foundation
- Article Type
- Freehold
- Article Number
- 4.19
- Warranty Year(s)
- One Year
- Performance
Openings in exterior walls such as windows and doors, and junctions between cladding materials, shall not allow water penetration.
- Warranty
One-Year - Ontario Building Code Violations. Two-Year - Building Envelope Water Penetration. · Water penetration due to improper maintenance is excluded from the statutory warranty.
- Action
Defects resulting in water penetration around windows, doors, and over the top of the foundation shall be repaired.
Repair shall prevent water from penetrating into the building Care must be taken to prevent damage to waterproof membrane during required maintenance activities to exposed surface above the buried roof. The Ontario Building Code references CSA S413, Item 4 which requires protection against leakage. Expansion joints shall be repaired to accommodate movement Exposed to chlorides refers to slabs which are exposed to de-icing chemicals. This typically applies to slabs located below driveways, parking, and walkways. Slabs located below sod or gardens would be considered “not exposed to chlorides”.
Scaling of exterior concrete surfaces including concrete porches, walkways, garage floor slabs, steps (including precast), etc, most often results from salts and de-icers being applied to the concrete surface, e.g. either intentionally for ice melting or unintentionally from road slush deposits. Cleaning salt deposits off concrete surfaces is normal home maintenance. Where repairs are necessary, colour and/or texture may not match the surrounding concrete.
Shrinkage cracks and cracks anticipated in the design do not require repair. Review by a structural consultant may be required to confirm acceptability of cracking.
Some architectural finishes deliberately expose aggregate; this would not be considered scaling. Scaling of exterior concrete surfaces including concrete porches, walkways, garage floor slabs, steps (including precast), etc., most often results from salts and de-icers being applied to the concrete surface, e.g. either intentionally for ice melting or unintentionally from road slush deposits. Cleaning salt deposits off concrete surfaces is normal home maintenance. Feathering the edges of patch materials, which creates a weak edge or installing the patch material too thinly should be avoided. Manufacturer’s installation guidelines should be followed. Concrete is generally not susceptible to scaling in a one year timeframe due to exposure to salt. Deep deterioration that exposes reinforcing would not be considered scaling but rather a structural degradation. This may merit further investigation. Mechanical abrasion caused by the actions of the homeowner is not warranted.
It is normal for water to accumulate on surfaces immediately after a wetting event. Only water which remains after 24 hours is considered ponding.
Honeycombing is a group of holes or voids in concrete caused by insufficient consolidation of the concrete. Random individual pinholes or small voids are not honeycombing. Some honeycombing in areas of the building which are not routinely occupied (mechanical penthouse for example) may be considered acceptable if it does not negatively impact performance (leakage resistance, structural integrity etc.).
It is impossible to completely eliminate all surface voids. At the builder’s discretion a brush coat may be applied. The colour and texture of a repaired area may not match the surrounding concrete. See item 1.15 “Brush coating on above grade poured concrete foundation wall is falling off”
Concrete walls naturally crack during curing due to shrinkage. Where lateral or vertical movement is evident, further investigation may be required. The colour and texture of a repaired area may not match the surrounding concrete. See Also: 1.7 CONCRETE BLOCK FOUNDATION WALL IS CRACKED
Only actual water leakage through the floor slab resulting in an accumulation of water is warranted; dampness or condensation is not considered a warranted condition. The homeowner must take immediate steps to prevent damage to their property and report any losses to their home insurance provider. A thorough site investigation prior to construction and during excavation will assist in determining whether groundwater levels may adversely affect the use of the building. See Also: 1.12 BASEMENT WALL OR FLOOR IS DAMP
Flashings must be installed above exterior wall openings and at the top of the foundation (masonry veneer) to direct water to the exterior. Perforations in flashing due to physical damage or chemical incompatibility, deterioration, improper termination and lack of weep holes in masonry veneer can allow water to drain to the interior. See Also: 1.13 FOUNDATION WALL LEAKS Appendix A5 “How to Conduct a Water Test”