Weathertightness: A Critical Issue
- Problems of water intrusion and weathertighness
- Water got between cladding and the timber framing
- Leakage moisture accumulated and was retained
- Timber was not treated appropriately to be exposed to moisture
During the 1990s a number of houses were built using methods that haven't withstood the weather conditions in New Zealand. Because of the problems involving design, and installation of materials, these houses leak when it rains.
In 1998, a change in the New Zealand standard for Timber Treatment (as referenced in Acceptable Solution B2/AS1) allowed the use of untreated kiln-dried timber in wall framing. If this untreated timber framing gets wet, the timber starts to rot.