Moisture Problems
in the Maritimes
by David Scott
Over the past few years, a number
of field visits have been made to
investigate moisture damage to woodframe
housing in Atlantic Canada.
The number of cases investigated is
too small to statistically predict moisture
problems in the overall building
population. It appears, however, that
a small percentage of wood-frame
housing suffers from localized moisture
damage that can be attributed to
poor detailing, workmanship, or
maintenance. The three buildings described
in this article are located in the
Halifax, Nova Scotia, area and St.
John's, Newfoundland. Each was constructed
within the last ten years and
is typical of local practice.
Case One
A split-entry, three-bedroom
home, factory-built in the fall of
1982 near Halifax, was occupied by
two