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ABOUT THE CLAIM
In the aftermath of a recent hurricane, a building owner filed a property claim with his insurance carrier. The small commercial building is constructed of CMU (concrete masonry unit) exterior walls with structural steel support for the roof. The aforementioned roof is a low-slope system with a single-ply PVC membrane. The policyholder stated that storm activity around the date of loss had damaged the roof which, in turn, had resulted in water intrusion and damage to the interior finishes.
ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION
A forensic engineer was immediately dispatched to the scene for a complete interior and exterior inspection. Just prior to departing he pulled site-specific weather data and also reviewed meteorological data from two different sources. He noted that a significant wind event at the location did occur several years prior, with 70 mph wind gusts and four-hour sustained winds exceeding 50 mph. As for rainfall, data on three different days in proximity to the date of loss showed .91, 1.25, and 1.24 inches respectively. Observations from the property inspection included:
•No broken windows, missing/displaced building materials, exterior elevation marks, etc. one would typically expect to find;
•The internal fabric reinforcement of the roof membrane and the darker layer underneath it is exposed;
•Patches to the loose, degraded membrane were observed to be of an incompatible material and were found to be substandard, ineffective, and beyond repair;
•Ponding water on the roof membrane in multiple locations including adjacent to the HVAC units;
•Several abandoned HVAC units;
•Condensate pipe drains for the HVAC units either detached, broken, or not discharging into a drain; rather, condensate found to be discharging directly onto the roof membrane;
•Vegetative growth proximal to the HVAC units.
ABOUT THE CAUSE & ORIGIN REPORT
The final forensic report correlated the location of the damages found at the interior (stained ceiling tiles, damaged gypsum wallboard, sagging ceiling tiles, missing ceiling tiles, etc.) to the issues at the roof. There was no visible damage that is consistent with a singular weather event. Prior wind and rain events notwithstanding, the reported damages were overwhelmingly due to either deficient original construction or neglectful, substandard ongoing maintenance. The roof membrane was well beyond its useful life. Positive drainage was severely hindered at the HVAC units. It was suggested that, upon roof replacement, tapered insulation be installed to alleviate ponding water.
ABOUT GUARDIAN & YA GROUP
Now operating as a division of YA Group, this unparalleled team of engineers and other building experts at Guardian & YA Group helps insurance carriers and TPAs rapidly resolve their complex claims quickly, fairly, and confidently. When you want rapid dispatch, clear communications, and pragmatic, reliable forensic counsel, call on experience, professionalism, and integrity. Call on the 700+ experts at YA Group today.