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Performance Standard: When a gutter is unobstructed by debris, the water level shall not exceed 1 inch in depth. Installing gutters with a 1/8-inch drop in one foot will generally prevent water from standing in the gutters. Even so, small amounts of water may remain in some sections of gutter for a short time after a rain.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will repair the gutter to meet the performance standard.

Performance Standard: Water shall not become trapped under roll roofing.

Corrective Measure: If water becomes trapped under roll roofing during the warranty period, the remodeler will repair or replace the roofing as necessary to meet the performance standard.

Performance Standard: Attic vents and louvers shall not leak. However, infiltration of wind-driven rain and snow are not considered leaks and are beyond the control of the remodeler.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will caulk and flash attic vents or louvers to eliminate leaks.

Discussion: Inlet and outlet vents should be provided for proper ventilation of the attic area. Inlet vents should be provided in the soffit area and outlet vents near the ridges. These vents will produce natural circulation regardless of wind direction.

Performance Standard: Skylights shall be installed in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Leaks resulting from product defects or improper installation are not acceptable. Condensation on interior surfaces is not a leak and is not covered.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will reinstall any improperly installed skylight and replace any defective skylight.

Performance Standard: Roofs and flashing shall not leak under normal conditions, except where the cause is determined to result from ice build-up or the owner’s actions or negligence.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will repair any verified roof or flashing leaks not caused by ice build-up or the owner’s actions or negligence.

Performance Standard: The attic and crawl space shall be ventilated as required by the applicable building code.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will provide for adequate ventilation.

The remodeler is not responsible for actions by the owner that interfere with the ventilation system.

Performance Standard: Surface blistering of roll roofing is caused by unusual conditions of heat and humidity acting on the asphalt.

Corrective Measure: None.

Performance Standard: Chimney flashing shall not leak.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will repair leaks in chimney flashing.

Discussion: Chimney flashing leaks can be prevented. Possible causes include:

• Failure to install a small valley behind the chimney to divert water around the chimney, or
• Depending on tar to seal the flashing to the chimney instead of building the flashing into the chimney mortar joints.

Performance Standard: Gutters and downspouts shall not leak.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will repair leaks in gutters and downspouts.

Performance Standard: Insulation shall be installed in accordance with applicable energy code and building code requirements.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will install insulation to meet the performance standard.

Performance Standard: Gutters may overflow during a heavy rain.

Corrective Measure: The owner is responsible for keeping gutters and downspouts free of leaves and debris that could cause overflow.

Performance Standard: Roof sheathing shall not bow more than ½ inch in 2 feet.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will straighten bowed roof sheathing as necessary to meet the performance standard.

Discussion: The remodeler usually can meet this performance standard by using thicker plywood sheathing (either 1/2 inch or 15/32-inch span-rated, not 3/8 inch) with more plies (5 not 3) or wafer board and plywood clips (a) to align adjacent sheets between trusses or rafters and (b) to ensure room for expansion of the sheets. In rare instances, the remodeler might have to install blocking between the trusses to straighten the sheathing.

Performance Standard: During prolonged cold spells ice is likely to build up at the eaves of a roof. This condition occurs when snow and ice accumulate, and gutters and downspouts freeze up.

Corrective Measure: None. Prevention of ice build-up on the roof is an owner maintenance item.

Performance Standard: Electrical junction boxes on exterior walls may allow cold air to flow through or around an outlet into a room. It may not be possible to eliminate this completely.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will install foam insulation pads under the switch and outlet plates to help decrease drafts.

Performance Standard: Shingles shall not blow off in winds of less than 40 miles per hour.

Corrective Measure: If shingles blow off in winds less than 40 miles per hour, the remodeler will replace them with new shingles.

Discussion: Shingles blow off because of high winds, improper fastening (such as installing too few fasteners, or fasteners that are too short), installing staples perpendicular to the ridge instead of parallel to the ridge, or poorly sealing shingle tabs. Whether or not the wind that blows off shingles does exceed 40 miles per hour generally is difficult to determine. The local weather station may be able to provide circumstantial evidence by substantiating that winds exceeding the 40 miles per hour threshold occurred in the general area.

Performance Standard: The comers of individual shingles shall be no more than a total of 1/4 inch off the horizontal line of shingles, and these horizontal lines shall be no more than 1/2 inch out of parallel in 10 feet. Individual shingle tabs shall be no more than 1/2 inch off the vertical line of shingle tabs in either direction.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will remove shingles that do not meet the performance standard and replace them with new shingles that are properly aligned.

Discussion: This defect is easy to prevent by carefully measuring the shingle spacing, chalk-lining the roof, and holding shingles to the lines. The owner and the remodeler may agree prior to installation that the horizontal line of shingles on the roof of an addition need not line up with those of the existing structure if the floors (and hence, the eaves and ridge) are not to be built on the same plane.

Performance Standard: Windows will collect condensation on their interior surfaces when extreme temperature differences and high humidity levels occur. Condensation usually results from humid conditions within the home that are created by the owner.

Corrective Measure: Unless the window condensation or frost is directly attributed to faulty installation, it usually results from conditions beyond the control of the remodeler. No corrective action is required.

Performance Standard: Because of weathering and manufacturing variations, the color of new shingles will not exactly match the color of existing shingles.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler is not responsible for precisely matching the color of existing shingles.

Performance Standard: Asphalt shingle edges and corners need not be perfectly flat. Curling or cupping is a defect only if it causes the roof to leak.

Corrective Measure: None

Performance Standard: Asphalt shingles shall overhang roof edges by not less than 1/4 inch, and not more than 3/4 inch.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will reposition or replace shingles as necessary to meet the performance standard.

Performance Standard: Shading or shadowing is a defect only if it results from failure to use shingles of the type specified in the contract.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will replace shingles not conforming to contractual requirements.

Performance Standard: Some infiltration is usually noticeable around doors and windows especially during high winds. In high-wind areas the owner may need to have storm doors and windows installed to help eliminate drafts.

Corrective Measure: The remodeler will adjust or replace poorly fitted doors, windows, or poorly fitted weather-stripping.