Building Envelope & Water Intrusion Investigations in Florida

Forensic Assessment of High-Rise, Mid-Rise, and Multi-Story Buildings

A Florida building envelope investigation is required when water intrusion, cracking, or concealed moisture begins affecting high-rise, mid-rise, and multi-story buildings. Florida buildings rarely fail because of a single leak —
they fail because the building envelope stops functioning as a system.
Wind-driven rain, coastal pressure, high humidity, and construction-era detailing deficiencies combine to force water into
assemblies never designed to remain dry under Florida conditions.

Foundation Waterproofing 101, LLC performs
forensic building envelope investigations to determine
how, where, and why moisture is entering buildings — and why prior repairs
often fail to resolve the problem.

Why Building Envelope Failures Are Common in Florida

Moisture migration and pressure-driven water intrusion mechanisms observed in Florida buildings
align with published research from the

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

• Seasonal wind-driven rain events
• Coastal and storm-related pressure differentials
• High ambient humidity and vapor drive
• Thermal expansion and contraction
• Aging stucco, EIFS, and coating systems
• Repeated repainting without corrective detailing

These forces routinely overwhelm improperly designed or deteriorated
architectural features, flashing terminations, and cracked exterior walls —
particularly on primary wind-exposed elevations.

What Is a Building Envelope Investigation?

Our findings are evaluated in the context of applicable

Florida Building Code (FBC)

requirements, construction-era standards, and documented field conditions.

A building envelope investigation evaluates the
entire exterior moisture barrier system, not just visible damage.

• Exterior wall assemblies
• Architectural bands, bump-outs, and projections
• Windows, penetrations, and transitions
• Flashing and drip edge geometry
• Exterior cracking and coating integrity
• Concealed wall cavities and inter-floor moisture migration

The objective is to identify failure mechanisms, not cosmetic symptoms.

Florida Licensed Specialists in Forensic Building Envelope Investigation

Foundation Waterproofing 101, LLC is a
Florida Licensed Specialty Contractor specializing in forensic
building envelope investigations, water intrusion analysis, and
moisture-related structural failure. Founded in Florida in approximately
2016, our firm has spent nearly a decade evaluating how water behaves
within buildings under real-world Florida wind, humidity, and coastal exposure
conditions.

Our investigations are frequently performed with the understanding that findings
may be relied upon for insurance review, engineering coordination, or
potential litigation. As such, our assessments emphasize cause-and-effect
documentation, photographic evidence, moisture data, and clear identification
of failure mechanisms — not speculative conclusions or surface-level observations.

We routinely prepare formal written reports suitable for:

• Attorney review and dispute resolution
• Insurance and claim support
• Engineering evaluation and coordination
• HOA and ownership decision-making
• Capital planning and repair justification

Our role is to document what is occurring, why it is occurring, and what
technical conditions must be corrected to stop continued moisture intrusion —
independent of any specific contractor or repair scope.

Florida Licensure & Professional Credentials

Foundation Waterproofing 101, LLC operates as a
Florida Licensed Specialty Contractor under:

Florida Specialty Contractor License: CGC1539326 –

Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR)

All forensic inspections, site condition assessments, and building envelope
evaluations are performed under applicable Florida licensure and documented
in formal written reports.

For projects requiring licensed engineering analysis, stamped design, or
code-based calculations, we coordinate with and reference our affiliated
engineering firm,

Foundation Masters, a Florida licensed engineering firm providing structural
and waterproofing-related engineering services.

Common Florida Building Envelope Failures We Document

Wind-Driven Rain Intrusion

Rain is routinely forced laterally and upward into cracks, joints, and improperly
terminated assemblies — bypassing surface coatings entirely.

Architectural Band & Bump-Out Failures

• Lack of positive slope
• Water trapping and inward redirection
• Connected wall cavities across floors
• Concealed multi-unit moisture pathways

Exterior Cracking

Cracking commonly results from differential movement, thermal cycling,
shrinkage, or substrate failure. Even hairline cracks can admit water under pressure.

Improper or Missing Flashing

• Reverse-lapped flashing
• Embedded metal without drip edges
• Face-sealed terminations
• Corroded flashing concealed beneath coatings

Saturated Wall Cavities

• Fully saturated framing
• Wet insulation and sheathing
• Vertical and lateral moisture migration
• Conditions supporting microbial growth

High-Rise and Multi-Story Building Risks

Wind-driven rain exposure and façade performance issues in high-rise buildings
are consistent with

FEMA Building Science guidance

related to exterior wall systems and pressure-driven moisture intrusion.

• Wind pressure increases with elevation
• Architectural elements span multiple floors
• Moisture migrates vertically and laterally
• Partial or floor-by-floor repairs commonly fail

When architectural features connect multiple units,
localized repairs rarely stop water movement.

Florida Service Areas

• Tampa Building Envelope Investigations
• Orlando Building Envelope Investigations
• Miami Building Envelope Investigations
• Jacksonville Building Envelope Investigations

When to Schedule a Building Envelope Investigation

• Recurring paint or coating failure
• Interior moisture with no visible leak source
• Mold-related unit shutdowns
• Repeated unsuccessful repairs
• Exterior cracking that continues to reappear

Schedule a Florida Building Envelope Investigation

We don’t guess.

We test.

We document.

We explain why your building is failing — and what actually stops it.