Forensic Assessment of High-Rise and Multi-Story Buildings in Miami, Florida
← Florida Building Envelope Investigations (Hub Page)
A Miami building envelope investigation is often required when coastal wind-driven rain, pressure differentials, exterior cracking, or concealed moisture
begins affecting high-rise and multi-story buildings. In Miami, building envelope failures are rarely caused by a single defect — they result from
systemic breakdowns in façade detailing, flashing integration, and pressure resistance.
Foundation Waterproofing 101, LLC performs forensic building envelope investigations to determine how, where, and why moisture is entering building
assemblies — and why prior repairs, sealants, or coating applications frequently fail under Miami’s coastal exposure conditions.
Miami Coastal Exposure Conditions That Drive Recurring Intrusion
Miami properties experience aggressive coastal loading: high wind pressures, salt-laden moisture, and frequent wind-driven rain events that force water into
small discontinuities at façade transitions. Even when intrusion presents as isolated staining, the source is often a pressure pathway that bypasses surface
coatings and migrates within connected assemblies.
We frequently observe recurring intrusion at high-rise elevations, balcony edges and slab transitions, architectural bands, window perimeters, and areas where
embedded metals have corroded and expanded behind finishes.
Why Building Envelope Failures Are Common in Miami
Miami buildings experience some of the most aggressive exterior exposure conditions in Florida. Moisture intrusion mechanisms observed during Miami investigations
align with published building science research addressing pressure-driven water intrusion and coastal façade performance.
Reference:
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- Extreme wind-driven rain during tropical storm events
- Coastal pressure differentials acting on exterior wall systems
- Salt-laden moisture accelerating material deterioration
- Thermal movement and differential expansion
- Aging stucco, EIFS, and façade coatings
- Repeated surface repairs without corrective detailing
These forces routinely overwhelm cracked exterior walls, architectural projections, improperly detailed flashing, and face-sealed assemblies — particularly on
primary wind-exposed elevations.
What Is a Miami 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 or isolated leaks.
- Exterior wall assemblies and transitions
- Architectural bands, balconies, ledges, and projections
- Windows, penetrations, and perimeter interfaces
- Flashing integration 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.
How We Confirm the Source (Not Just the Symptom)
Coastal intrusion often involves pressure-driven pathways that bypass surface coatings and migrate within concealed cavities. Our process focuses on cause-and-effect
documentation: correlating interior symptoms with exterior defect locations, identifying probable pathways, and confirming mechanisms through targeted field verification.
When appropriate, we use controlled water testing, moisture mapping, and selective intrusive verification to document concealed conditions and explain why repeated sealant
applications or coating-only repairs often fail under Miami’s exposure conditions.
Forensic Reporting & Litigation-Aware Documentation
Our Miami investigations are frequently performed with the understanding that findings may be relied upon for insurance review, engineering coordination, or potential litigation.
Reports emphasize cause-and-effect documentation, photographic evidence, moisture data, and clear identification of intrusion pathways.
Formal written reports are commonly prepared for:
- Attorney review and dispute resolution
- Insurance claim documentation
- Engineering evaluation and design 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)
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.
Common Miami Building Envelope Failures We Document
Wind-Driven Rain & Pressure Intrusion
Wind-driven rain is routinely forced laterally and upward into cracks, joints, and improperly terminated assemblies, bypassing surface coatings entirely under pressure.
Architectural Bands, Balconies & Projections
- Lack of positive slope
- Water trapping and inward redirection
- Corrosion of embedded metals
- Connected wall cavities across floors
Exterior Cracking
Cracking commonly results from thermal cycling, differential movement, substrate failure, or material fatigue. Even hairline cracks can admit water under Miami’s coastal pressure conditions.
Improper or Missing Flashing
- Reverse-lapped flashing
- Embedded metals without drip edges
- Face-sealed transitions reliant on coatings
- Corroded flashing concealed beneath finishes
Saturated Wall Cavities
- Fully saturated framing and substrates
- Wet insulation and sheathing
- Vertical and lateral moisture migration
- Conditions supporting microbial growth
High-Rise and Coastal Building Risks
High-rise buildings in Miami experience increasing wind pressure with elevation, combined with aggressive coastal exposure. Guidance from
FEMA Building Science
identifies pressure-driven moisture intrusion as a primary contributor to façade performance failures.
- Wind pressure increases with building height
- Architectural features span multiple floors
- Moisture migrates vertically and laterally
- Localized or floor-by-floor repairs commonly fail
When architectural elements connect multiple units, partial repairs rarely stop water movement.
What You Receive
- Photographic documentation of observed conditions and defect locations
- Moisture data and mapping of affected areas
- Identification of likely intrusion pathways and failure mechanisms
- Prior repair review: why past repairs did not stop intrusion
- Clear recommendations for what conditions must be corrected to stop recurrence
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you provide repair specifications?
We document failure mechanisms and the conditions that must be corrected. If stamped design or engineered details are required, we coordinate through Foundation Masters.
Can you determine whether the leak is from windows or the wall assembly?
Yes. Many “window leaks” originate at wall transitions, flashing terminations, balcony/slab interfaces, or concealed pathways. Our process is built to differentiate source from symptom.
Will your report support insurance or attorney review?
Our documentation is prepared with litigation-awareness: photo evidence, data, and mechanism-based findings intended to be reviewable and defensible.
Why do past repairs often fail in coastal environments?
Surface patching, sealant-only repairs, and coating-only systems often ignore pressure pathways, reverse laps, missing drip geometry, corrosion-driven movement, and connected cavities that move water beyond the repair area.
Florida Service Areas
When to Schedule a Miami Building Envelope Investigation
- Recurring coating or paint failure
- Interior moisture with no visible leak source
- Mold-related unit shutdowns
- Repeated unsuccessful repairs
- Exterior cracking that continues to reappear
- Water intrusion around balconies, bands, or transitions
Schedule a Miami Building Envelope Investigation
We don’t guess.
We test.
We document.
We explain why your building is failing — and what actually stops it.