Forensic Engineers and Consultants

Blog Posts by: Brian Tenace

Author Brian Tenace

Expertise Includes:

  • Aerial Work Platforms
  • Fenestration
  • Machinery & Equipment Analysis
  • Construction Defect Evaluation
  • Heavy Machinery
  • Industrial Accident Reconstruction
  • Machinery & Equipment Damage Assessment
  • Products Liability

Water Removal In Windows and Doors – Part 3: Sill Risers

Author

Welcome back to my multi-part series about water resistance in windows and doors. Last time we discussed weatherstripping. Today, we move on to a product common to sliding doors and coastal areas – sill risers.

Sill risers offer a brute force way to reduce water infiltration when a LOT of water is expected to hit a fenestration product. Unlike weathersealing, buried drainage, or weep systems, sill risers block water by providing a dam. Coastal homes with wind driven rain frequently have sill risers. They are practical and require less maintenance than weep holes or buried drainage systems, plus Read More

Water Removal In Windows and Doors – Part 2: Weatherstripping

Author

Welcome back to my multi-part series about water resistance in windows and doors. Last time we discussed weep holes. Today, I’d like to talk about weatherstripping (also known as weathersealing).

During the life of typical exterior fenestration products, every driven rain is a test of the product’s water weathersealing system. Most windows and doors handle water without much homeowner input, but racked or misaligned windows, poor weatherstripping corner joints, and torn piles all contribute to reduced water infiltration resistance. They can allow moisture into the structure, where damage to flooring, walls, and Read More

Water Removal In Windows and Doors – Part 1: Weep Holes

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In architecture, the word fenestration is used to encompass the windows and doors in a building. During my twelve-year career as a design engineer in the fenestration industry, water infiltration resistance (I.E., stopping leaks) consumed almost as much time in the test lab as pressure or impact testing. During the life of typical exterior fenestration products, every driven rain is a test of the product’s water evacuation system. Most windows and doors handle water without much homeowner input, but poor, clogged or covered water drainage systems can allow moisture into the structure, where damage to flooring, walls, and molding may occur. Poor water infiltration resistance also increases the humidity in a living space. Read More

Safety Hazards in Waterjet Cutting

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Waterjet cutting machines (often simply called ‘waterjets’ in the industry) are essentially platforms that use ultra-high pressure water to manufacture cut parts with accuracy as high as .001 inch. They can cut materials ranging from glass and stone to steel and even plastics. Such machines can cost under $1.00 per minute to run, even including labor. Waterjets are some of the most versatile cutting tools available today. They produce virtually no heat-affected zone. They also use CNC (computer numerically controlled) programs, which allow continuously variable speeds for different edge conditions and cut quality. The waterjet dissipates heat, and the jet stream minimizes harmful chemical vaporization from cut materials. Small and mid-sized companies throughout the U.S. depend on these powerful tools to manage all sorts of custom two-dimensional cuts.

But waterjets present unique hazards to the manufacturing environment. The following challenges require special attention: Read More

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