How OM Inspections Inc. Helped A Client Solve A Water Penetration Issue

I’m Michael Oren, a certified home inspector in Toronto, Ontario. I founded OM Inspections Inc. in 2004 with an endeavor to carry out professional home inspections. It includes conducting thorough examinations of clients’ homes and presenting my findings in comprehensive reports.

I also like to solve complex challenges for my clients concerning their properties’ physical structure and systems. Please keep reading to learn how I helped a client solve a water penetration issue.

The Challenge: The client found a leak near the front door

I got called as a referral for a home inspection. It was a luxurious two-story house with monster columns at the front holding the roof in place and covering the porch. The client requested that I investigate water penetration around his front door and next to the three-car garage.

The owner showed me water stains on the front entry door frame near the floor and on the marble foyer around the same area. He explained that exterior caulking and painting were done twice, and the flagstone on the porch also had to be redone.

The Solution: Mark the existing stains with a pencil

It was puzzling to know where the water was leaking from as the house was massive. Since the stains on the floor were not present anywhere else, I decided to be bold and asked permission to examine the attic. The homeowner looked at me very surprised but then gave me the OK.

The attic was incredibly high and easy to enter. I identified the water penetration point when I reached the suspected area above the front entry door. The water was trickling down from the roof along the exterior wall and hitting the front door lintel, where it seeped down to floor level.

There were no obvious penetration points that I could observe. Therefore, the homeowner permitted me to mark the existing stains. I penciled the perimeter of all the water stains and told him I’d be back immediately after the next rainfall.

After some months, when I returned, I noticed that the stains grew beyond the pencil mark more on one side of the door than the other, but there was NO evidence of watermarks anywhere else.

The water penetration point was about twenty-five feet away from the water stains. It was a critical lesson for me to look at things differently, especially when dealing with water. I recommend fixing the roof and replacing the insulation at that corner. It solved the problem, and the client was over the moon with the outcome.

The Bottom Line

If you face a similar issue in your home, get in touch with OM Inspections Inc. today. As a certified home inspector in Toronto, Ontario, I strive to render the highest level of quality and customer satisfaction.

My services include pre-buying inspections, pre-selling inspections, new home warranty inspections, and home inspection services. I serve clients across North York, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket, Mississauga, Ajax, Greater Toronto Area, and Vaughan.

To get started, get in touch with me by clicking here. To learn more about how I can help you, please click here.