Case Study on ICF Panel Waterproofing Failures

This is a case study on Construction Defects in a $1.3 million new home built with insulated concrete forms (aka ICF panels). ICF is becoming increasingly popular for custom homes and DIYers, but many details are hard to find, and many trades are unfamiliar with their unique requirements. In this session, we will walk you through the process from the first leak detection and all the way to litigation. We will describe our non-destructive testing, including leak detection, mold testing, blower door testing, infrared thermography and, my favorite part, destructive testing. The general contractor was new to building with ICF panels and made one major mistake: assuming they were effectively airtight and watertight. The significant defects included poorly installed foundation waterproofing, failure to flash the window/door rough openings, failure to install through-wall flashings and discontinuity between the roof and wall flashings. Generally, they failed to create a continuous exterior air and water barrier system at every opportunity. We will discuss the pros and cons of ICF construction and identify the necessary waterproofing and flashing requirements. We will also discuss the conflicts between the ICF requirements and those of other trades, including carpentry, masonry, windows, and roofing. We will review the necessary scope required to remediate the defects to give the homeowners a safe and dry home. We will then touch on our steps to prepare for a difficult litigation process.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain key design and construction principles of insulated concrete form (ICF) assemblies.
2.  Identify effective waterproofing methods for ICF foundations.
3.  Describe proper flashing techniques for window and door openings in ICF walls.
4. Summarize testing, documentation, and reporting processes used to investigate and support claims involving construction defects.

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Michael Williams, RRC, RWC, RRO, RPA, RCIF, CCMI, BECxP, CxA+BE, CIT 1, President, Building Envelope Consulting

Michael Williams hand-nailed his first shingle roof in the summer of 1980 (when Jimmy Carter was still president) and has been in the roofing, waterproofing and building enclosure business ever since. He started his own roofing company in Nebraska in 1992, specializing in the installation of standing seam and architectural metal products. Michael sold his company and moved to the Washington DC area in 2000 and became a roofing and waterproofing consultant for a local engineering firm and over the next decade became an expert at built up and single ply roofing, exterior walls, plaza decks, coatings, flashing, air barriers, doors and windows. He established Building Envelope Consulting, LLC, in 2010.