In a very rainy corner of northwest Portland, a luxury senior community is undergoing major remediation. Claremont Town Homes is a gated golf course community that was not originally built to withstand the notoriously wet Pacific Northwest weather. The community includes 18 large structures. The original builder used poor quality materials and non-standard installation practices. The result was one moisture-related headache after another for the Homeowner’s Association (HOA). Before the situation deteriorated to irreversible status, they called in Lifetime Exteriors to remediate the rot and install a high performance weatherization system.
According to Lifetime’s Jay Mainella, “We have been called in on a number of these reconstruction projects since we are known for building resilient and durable structures. We have come to rely on the complete weatherization system provided by Fortifiber to help us fix problems and maintain our reputation.” Lifetime’s primary business is new construction with a focus on multi-family, and they are known for their innovative approach. For many years, they have relied exclusively on Fortifiber products for weatherization in Portland’s tough conditions.
To assess the scope of the Claremont project, a team had to open some of the most problematic exterior walls. They found that a cheap weather barrier was used, and that it was deteriorating after less than 20 years on the walls. They also found a number of windows that had been improperly installed and flashed.
The original materials were of poor quality and poorly installed leading to rot and mold.
With their architectural advisors, they put a plan together to repair areas of rotted wood, install a durable new weather-resistive barrier system, properly install windows and flashing, and reinstall exterior cladding. During the course of this project, they have gotten high marks from the HOA for keeping the community informed of—and involved in—the remediation. At one point, they hosted an open house and presentation for homeowners, inviting suppliers to come and share information about the processes and products being used for the repairs.
On this particular project, Lifetime chose to go with several specific Fortifiber® products. Because they wanted high drainage capacity for the wall, they used WeatherSmart® Drainable house wrap which has a 95% drainage efficiency. They paired that with FortiFlash® and FortiFlash Butyl to flash windows and doors. They also used Moistop® Sealant and Liquid Flashing to round out the system.
“There are several reasons we rely on the Fortifiber system," Mainella said. "It provides excellent drainage along with reliable protection. And when we use the 3 step system from Fortifiber, we get the benefit of a 15 year warranty. The company has been around for over 75 years, so we figure they’ll be around to back us up. We’re very confident in the sustainability of these materials--we know we won’t have to deal with call-backs.”
There are, on average, over 150 rainy days per year in Portland. If you can beat the moisture here, you can beat it anywhere.
For more information about Fortifiber visit Fortifiber.com.
For more information about Lifetime Exteriors, visit lifetime-exteriors.net.