In British Columbia, Canada, the problem of moisture
penetration in multifamily housing is so widespread it
has earned the nickname "leaky condo syndrome." To
meet the ballooning demand for housing during the
1980s, a number of new construction companies were
established in Vancouver, B.C. By the mid-'90s, thousands
of condo owners discovered that their recently built
homes were rotting, and that the contractors responsible
were no longer in business. The leaky condo problem in
Vancouver created a crisis in the building industry, leading
to new regulations that have changed the practice of residential
construction in the province.
What caused the leaks? What the Canadians call leaky
condo syndrome — often defined as "premature