Forensic Engineers and Consultants

Tag Archive: insulation

  1. Materials in HVAC Plenums

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    What materials are suitable for installation in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) plenums?  Let’s first define a plenum.  The 2021 edition of the International Mechanical Code (IMC), a subset of the International Building Code (IBC), defines a plenum as “an enclosed portion of a building structure, other than the occupied space being conditioned, that is designed to allow air movement, and thereby serve as a part of an air distribution system.” (more…)

  3. Frozen Tankless Water Heater Losses

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    Recently, we have seen a number of water damage losses stemming from gas-fired and electric tankless water heaters exposed to freezing temperatures. Tankless hot water heaters have been growing in popularity and use due to their energy savings over traditional water heaters. These units are typically installed on the exterior of a home or business in areas of the country where prolonged freezing or extremely low temperatures are not common. (more…)

  4. Freeze Damage to Fire Sprinkler Systems

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    The ongoing frigid temperatures serve as a reminder of the many investigations by Warren engineers involving fire sprinkler systems that have failed when some part of the system was exposed to the sub-freezing conditions. Interestingly, failures do not necessarily occur within the area of greatest freeze exposure, as the failure mechanism is the extreme pressure that results from the growth of an ice plug inside the exposed pipe in which the high pressure will rupture the weakest component which may even be located in a heated area of the sprinkler system. (more…)

  5. Improper Piping Installation Leads to Costly Repair

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    A newly constructed house was flooded when a plumbing pipe ruptured in the attic during unusually cold weather well below the freezing point.  This was a very large house and had been constructed with the most visually appealing and expensive finish materials in the construction industry. (more…)

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