Western Specialty Contractors Stresses Importance of Maintaining Caulk Joints as First Line of Defense Against Building Water Intrusion

(St. Louis, MO) The best tip for making a building maintenance program more cost-effective, according to the façade restoration experts at Western Specialty Contractors, is to make sure to inspect a property’s caulk joints on a regular basis.

“Caulking is the first line of defense against water getting into your building, and failed caulking is the number one cause of water issues in all types of buildings,” said Tom Brooks, COO of Western Specialty Contractors. “The good news is that there’s a straightforward way to avoid those issues.”

Western’s experts recommend inspecting a building’s caulk joints at least once a year to look for any signs of deterioration, which could include cracking, flaking or missing caulk. When caulk is deteriorating, water can easily seep into a building’s interior, causing unhappy tenants and costly interior damage.

“It makes sense why caulking is so often overlooked by building managers. Its size and cost seem relatively small compared to other parts of the building,” said Brooks. “But what’s staggering is how often contractors overlook this crucial component.”

If caulk deterioration is present, Brooks recommends having the damaged caulk removed and replaced immediately by an experienced specialty contractor.

“If one component fails, like the caulk, it doesn’t matter what kind of shape the other components are in, water is going to get into your building,” said Brooks. “The main thing to keep in mind is that your building is made up of a bunch of different components. The only way your multiple building components can work together is if each one is properly transitioned into the other parts. That transition we’re talking about is usually the caulking.”

Western’s experts stress that property managers should not make the mistake of dismissing the importance of caulking, and to not trust just any contractor to maintain this crucial component to a building’s success.

For assistance with caulk joint maintenance, contact the Western Specialty Contractors branch location nearest you – http://www.westernspecialtycontractors.com/western-locations/. For more information on building inspections, check out Western’s latest newsletter: www.westernspecialtycontractors.com/newsletter-1/.

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.