Masonry Magazine October 2009 Page. 22
FLASHING & DRAINAGE
what the makeup of the sheet membrane actually is. For example, putting an adhesive on an already faulty material like PVC or polyethylene is not a solution to a failure, but the probable cause of another one.
Preformed sheet metal flashings are a sound defense against any moisture penetration inside the cavity wall. Stainless steel and copper, most commonly in .015-inch thicknesses, are an excellent choice for base flashings, pre-manufactured window pans, parapet flashings, and pre-formed corners and end dams. These metal flashings, while stout in nature, are not without drawbacks. They are usually manufactured off-site, which means workability of the material is limited to its initial profile design. Another consideration has to be the length available for delivery. As these flashings are completely rigid, they are typically available only in eight- or 10-foot lengths, requiring more frequent lap joints and, thereby, providing more opportunity for failure. In spite of this, when installed properly, preformed metal flashing systems are of the strongest materials available and will ensure a lifetime of service inside the wall.
Copper laminate flashings have been in use for the better part of a century, so their operation and performance have been tested throughout the years. Typically comprised of a thin copper sheet that is encapsulated with asphalt, preventing oxidization and providing a primary waterproofing layer, it is also often laminated to a fiberglass reinforcing fabric for additional support. These flashing materials offer exceptional long-term moisture protection, are easy to work with, and remain reasonably priced to the overall scope of the project. While rigid enough to hold their shape, but flexible enough to be bent to form corners, end dams, or to wrap around columns, copper laminated flashings remain user friendly and reliable.
The longevity of a copper-based flashing is unsurpassed by any other flashing materials available in the market today. This is obvious, simply by examining material warranties. A warranty, in most products we purchase, becomes an indicator as to how long the manufacturer will bank on its performance. In the world of flashings, this is no different. In looking at several different synthetic flashing manufacturers, the warranties are extremely limited. All peel-and-stick and PVC warranties I found sit at five years or less, and, surprisingly, I found no warranty by an EPDM manufacturer for longer than the time of shipment. I was also unable to find a warranty on any of the "one size fits all" flashing systems available today (those that use a synthetic membrane with other wall drainage system components glued about them), but I suppose they are far too new to the industry to be able to effectively track performance results.
TotalFlash Automates the Flashing Process
By Gregg Hodgson
In recent years, the explosion in remediation and mold litigation cases has compelled architects, masons and builders to demand the most reliable moisture-control in their exterior masonry cavity walls. Meanwhile, the pressure has grown for masons to complete jobs faster by getting to the bricklaying sooner.
As a result, masonry wall-failures that used to be caused by inadequate flashing details are now more likely to be caused by the improper installation of the flashing components. The fact is, when each moisture-control component has to be installed separately, the potential for error increases dramatically.
It's the sort of perfect storm that cries out for a technological solution - some system that could, by its very design, reduce the chance of flaws in installation.
Ideally, this would be a uniform, comprehensive, precisely manufactured, moisture-control system that could be installed with just a few simple steps. Such a system would not only reduce human error, but also would reduce labor costs.
The need had been clear for decades. Yet, it wasn't until 2006 that a product emerged to meet that need. TotalFlash was invented and patented by Mortar Net USA, a Burns Harbor, Ind.-based company.
Mortar Net USA factory-assembles all the moisture-control details (termination bar; mortar-capture/cavity-drainage device; stainless-steel drip-edge: weep tabs; and edge dam) onto 5.5-foot pre-cut panels of 40-mil flashing membrane. Each panel also is clearly marked for a uniform, six-inch lap-joint.
Mortar Net asserts that a single worker could install this all-in-one system so quickly that It could save 50 percent in time and labor costs versus installing conventional flashing components.
At first, these claims were met with skepticism by some in the industry. But the 2008 World of Concrete show, held in Las Vegas, featured a timed, 2-against-1 competition dubbed "The TotalFlash Challenge."
As thousands of masonry professionals watched, a single mason who had never used TotalFlash before installed it in the equivalent of one-third the time and labor costs of a team of two experienced masons who were installing their usual flashing components. This 67-percent savings in time and labor costs actually exceeded the company's claims.
"I still get calls every day from masons who've just now seen the video of that contest on our Web site," says Earl Bickett, Mortar Net USA general manager. I guess seeing is believing."
The company reports that TotalFlash has now been installed in the cavity walls of hundreds of commercial and large residential buildings around the nation.
"TotalFlash's 'automatic' overlaps were a huge plus," says Ed Elberson, AIA and principal in Somdal Associates LLC of Shreveport, La. "So were the multiple drainage elements and the stainless-steel drip edges. It installed more neatly than anything else I'd seen, making it extremely easy to inspect."
The product also is available in special sizes for restoration/remediation jobs. "Restoration contractors tell us they like TotalFlash because it spares them from chasing after a bunch of separate components when they're up on a scaffold," says Bickett, "and it's easily installed in the narrow openings they have to work with. The 40-mil membrane also covers rough backup-walls nicely. But, like everyone else, they also appreciate its labor-saving speed and the uniform finished job it creates."
Gregg Hodgson is a Miller Beach, Ind.-based freelance writer who covers a variety of business topics.