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ABOUT THE CLAIM
The owner of a 30,000 s.f. building, in operation as a motel franchise, filed a claim with his insurance carrier alleging significant damage due to a recent wind event. Specifically, he claimed the 1995-built structure’s wood framing had been compromised. The insurance company called upon the forensic engineering team at Guardian & YA Group to investigate any damages, determine cause & origin, and make recommendations for building safety and repair. The structure’s construction consists of a concrete slab-on-grade foundation. Framing is conventional wood construction. The roofing system is steep-sloped, with hips, and is covered with painted steel R-panels. The building envelope is constructed of an exterior insulation and finish system (“EIFS”) veneer. Gables are topped with EIFS-clad coping.
ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION
Once assigned the claim, the Guardian/YA property claim expert accessed site-specific wind speed data and immediately deployed to the subject property. (On the Date of Loss, the maximum wind gust speed was estimated to be less than 35 mph.) Once at the building, he completed thorough inspections of the building’s interior and exterior, including, of course, the roof.
Some of the observations included:
– No broken windows, missing or displaced building materials, damaged vegetation, or impact marks on the exterior of the structure consistent with wind damage or impact from windborne debris.
– A number of visible repairs to soffit cladding under the walkway
– The wood beams supporting the 2nd floor walkway are visibly defecting at a dozen of different units; some exposed wood beam areas show insect damage
– At several points the soffit cladding is cracked and/or sagging
– The walkway is cracked and/or displaced at several places, with up to an inch of displacement measured.
– In exposed areas there are no visible flashings which would seal transitions from dissimilar exterior cladding materials.
– A number of cracks and holes in the EFIS exterior coating
– A number of locations where sealant is missing and/or deteriorated
ABOUT THE CAUSE & ORIGIN REPORT
The final report issued documented every instance of visible damage throughout the property’s multiple dozens of units. The structural wood framing of the building was designed for and is capable of withstanding wind speeds in excess of 100 mph. It is not possible for the recorded wind speeds to have caused any structural damage to the building.
The lack of flashings at the transitions is a construction defect that violates industry best practices. Its absence allows water to bypass the waterproof barriers and cause damage to the wood structure and interior finishes. The exterior cladding is in poor condition on the exterior. EFIS is a barrier system that relies on the exterior coating to prevent water intrusion. Cracks and holes in this coating allow water intrusion. The deterioration of the wood beams is due to long-term exposure to water due to the building envelope deficiencies and lack of maintenance. The report advised that repair and/or temporary shoring of these beams needs to be conducted immediately. For safety and liability reasons, the report further advised that until repaired the building should not be occupied.
ABOUT GUARDIAN & YA GROUP
For complex property claims, insurance carriers, TPAs, and adjusters count on the Guardian & YA Group forensic engineering team for rapid dispatch of experts, clear communication, and definitive cause & origin reporting. This esteemed, now 700+ person strong group of building experts possesses deep experience with large-size claims, high-risk claims, and highly complex claims. When claims cross your desk that transcend the run-of-the-mill and the everyday, the combined Guardian and YA team of personnel, who are strategically located throughout the U.S., as well as Mexico and England, prove to be your invaluable resource. They provide the construction and engineering investigations and reporting that help both carriers and their insureds understand exactly what happened and why, facilitating fast, fair, and reliable resolutions. Kindly call on our experts today.