A recent
viral TikTok video
depicts homes being constructed during turbulent weather conditions, with a sign advising against building a house when it’s raining. The focus is placed on the sheathing materials employed in these new constructions, such as OSB and particleboard, which can lead to issues.
black mold problems
However, since homes are constructed in rainy conditions frequently, does this imply that you ought to be concerned about the structural integrity of your house?
“Typically, the building materials used for framing are processed to resist dampness and rainfall throughout the construction phase,” explains Russell Vent, who serves as the vice president.
Paul Davis Restoration
As mentioned earlier, many residential home builders frequently lack expertise in structural drying, mold prevention, or mold remediation.
If you believe your home may have been constructed during rainy weather, or if you’re concerned about purchasing such a property, here’s what you should keep in mind.
Why It’s Best to Steer Clear of HousesBuilt During the Wet Season
Structural Damage
Rain has the potential to lead to structural harm in buildings that are still being constructed. Particleboard undoubtedly deteriorates when exposed to moisture, hence it is seldom employed as sheathing material.
The preferred choice for sheathing is plywood due to its moisture-resistance properties. Nevertheless, it comes at a higher cost, leading numerous constructors to opt for oriented strand board (OSB) instead. Although OSB offers water resistance as well, prolonged exposure to dampness may cause it to expand, and this expansion often leads to irreversible changes in size.
“Houses constructed during the wetter months often face dimensional challenges that homes built in drier periods do not encounter,” explains Josh Rudin, who owns the business.
ASAP Restoration
This implies that a straight piece of wood today could twist into a corkscrew shape during the upcoming dry season.
Although this probably won’t compromise the building’s structural integrity, it might result in squeaking, cracking, and various unusual sounds, particularly as outdoor temperatures fluctuate.
Mold
For mold to develop, it requires extended periods of moisture. Therefore, if a home’s framing becomes wet but subsequently dries quickly enough, you likely won’t face a mold problem. However, should the framework or sheathing stay moist for long stretches or remain damp once encapsulated within house wrap, insulation, and drywall, this trapped moisture has the potential to spawn mold growth.
Attention should be directed towards extended dampness,” states Vent. “If I were to turn on a hose and soak the wooden subfloor, letting it air-dry over several days, the chances of mold development would be significantly lower compared to spraying the same area with water daily for three consecutive days. Alternatively, if after soaking the wooden floor, I immediately laid down vinyl planks without allowing sufficient drying time, this could also promote mold growth.
How Can I Tell If My Home Was Constructed During the Wet Season?
If your home was constructed during rainy periods, you may notice indications of water damage such as discoloration on the drywall and bare wood, along with corrosion on metallic parts—symptoms that could point to significant structural issues.
Completed houses might display indications of strain through fissures in the drywall and irregular planes,” explains Rudin. “Generally, the building inspector requires adjustments for such issues prior to their reaching an advanced stage; however, it’s still feasible they overlooked these details or that these warning signs were not visible at the time of the examination.
To assess how worried you ought to be, review the climate data from when your home was constructed and inquire with the builder regarding their strategies for managing water-related issues. Find out if they protect wooden frameworks during rainy periods or quickly remove accumulated water from around the foundation.
“Everyone should assume that as their home was being built it, experience rain or other weather,” says Vent. But “I also wouldn’t be extremely alarmed if my home got wet during the initial stages on construction. It happens, but how the home builder is prepared to deal with it should be a point of understanding.”
What to Do to Avoid Mold If My House was Built in the Rain
If you’re concerned that your house might have been constructed improperly when it rained orsnowed, consider hiring an experienced inspector to assess it for excessive moisture levels,wet building supplies, structural defects, and signs of mold growth, as suggested by Vent.“Professional mold evaluators, general property inspectors, industrial hygiene experts,and specialists in indoor environments can be valuable resources; they typically aren’tcostly either,” he advises.
According to Rudin, if mold is detected, it should be professionally cleaned. In all other cases, aim to maintain maximum dryness within the house. Utilize fans and dehumidifiers to reduce dampness in susceptible zones such as crawl spaces and basements. Additionally, work on stopping condensation on window surfaces and ensure that openings allowing moisture intrusion are sealed off.
This involves ensuring that wood, drywall, as well as any fabrics or permeable materials remain devoid of stagnant water,” explains Rudin. “Mold spores are present in the air surrounding us at all times, and there’s no method to stop their proliferation except for preventing the conditions necessary for them to thrive within your living space.
About the Experts
-
Russell Vent
is the Deputy Leader of
Paul Davis Restoration
In the greater Rochester area of New York, there’s a disaster management, mitigation, and restoration network comprising 350 sites across the U.S. and Canada. -
Josh Rudin
is the owner of
ASAP Restoration
in Tempe Arizona. He started the company as a one-man operation in 2008, and today it has grown into one of the city’s top disaster mitigation specialists.
