Leaky Homes in New Zealand - The Issues When construction With Wood

The Majority of Homes in New Zealand Have Timber Frames

Homes in New Zealand are primarily built with timber frames. Because of this, any issues with regard to changes to standards that influence the stamina of the framing will have far reaching ramifications. Because this framing is largely concealed, any damage as evidenced in leaky homes is going to be hard to detect until it is at an industrialized stage of decay.

Microscope

Wood has been used as a traditional structural material for many decades in New Zealand without any major problems. It is used as a structural material because of its high impel to weight ratio, it is legitimately worked and its cost compared to other structural options. The bad news is its susceptibility to rot, dimensional instability, size variability, pests, combustibility and vulnerability to the weather.

Wood Treatments Overcome Most Wood Disadvantages

Most of these disadvantages can be overcome by good design, and using the acceptable coatings and preservatives. This is particularly foremost when using a soft wood such as New Zealand grown Pinus Radiata for framing.

For roughly 50 years we were world leaders in the production of the most durable wood. From the mid 90s until 2003, we decided that non-durable wood could be used (in the acceptable circumstances). Unfortunately this coincided with a time when construction designs were harder to make waterproof and poor construction practices were rife. With an ineffective regulatory system in place at the same time, we had a systematic breakdown of robust construction practices and any sufficient regulations. These are the root causes for the unparalleled size of the leaky homes question we now have.

Wood Rot in Leaky Homes

Fungi start to break down wood not long after the coming of moisture as they start to convert the properties of any untreated wood. Fungi are found anywhere and their wee spores permeate to all parts of buildings. Decay fungi grow within a few weeks, although essential wood damage normally takes some years. The damage is normally concealed and can often only be detected using master equipment.

Untreated Pinus Radiata was used in roughly 90 percent of structural framing in New Zealand in the middle of 1995 and 2003. When attacked by fungi, this untreated framing can lose the majority of its structural integrity within a few months, but typically in leaky homes this takes in the middle of one to three years.

Small Amounts of Leaking in Homes is Normal

Small amounts of leaking have probably been occurring in structure in New Zealand for a century or more. Usually, these leaks didn't lead to wood decay or excessive mould because the older construction designs allowed for drainage and drying. With the introduction of boron treated timber in the 1950s, combined with good design, this provided an sufficient level of stamina for many decades.

Because of the way structure have been designed and built in the middle of 1995 and 2003, leaks were a far more serious question because of the size of the leaks, and because the structure weren't built to handle them properly if they did leak.

The traditional question with leaky homes therefore is the weather tightness of the structure.

The secondary question is the stamina of the framework that makes up the leaky homes.

Wood Borer Pest and Leaky Homes

Wood borer attacks untreated Pinus Radiata when the moisture level is above 5%, and thrive when it is over 7%. Chemical free framing timber used in the majority of leaky homes was kiln dried to a moisture level of 4% to preclude borer eating it, and at a high sufficient climatic characteristic to kill off whatever already living in the timber. Once the timber is used in a building, over a duration of time it absorbs more moisture, or looses moisture based on the moisture levels of its surroundings. For example in a hot water cupboard, the wood is normally far too dry to be attacked by borer. Areas such as bathrooms, laundries, kitchens, and shady dark rooms in dampish areas can have moisture levels up to 11% or more, especially if the construction is leaking. Untreated doors, window surrounds, skirting boards, shelving and door frames will also get attacked by borer.

All is not lost. Timber can be treated where it is accessible with Boric (Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate). This will not only help in the stoppage of borer infestations in the wood, it will also help prevent, or kill off rot. There are also new products on the store which are specifically aimed at stopping rot.

Leaky Homes in New Zealand - The Issues When construction With Wood

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