Water intrusion investigation
A water intrusion investigation finds where water is getting into a building from outside — through the roof, walls, windows, terraces or foundation — and how far it has travelled inside before it shows. We survey broadly with infrared imaging and confirm with moisture testing, in houses, co-ops and condos as well as commercial and multifamily buildings across New York City and Long Island. Because water moves along framing and across slabs, the stain marks the exit, not the entry; the goal is to establish the source and extent before demolition or repair begins.
Certified Infrared ThermographerInfraspection Institute · FLIR E96 & T865
Building envelope water intrusion inspection
Roofs, walls, windows, terraces and foundations are usually inspected separately and repaired by different trades, but water does not respect those boundaries. A parapet detail can surface as a window leak two floors down; a terrace threshold can present as a foundation problem.
An envelope survey reads the assembly as a whole from outside and inside, which is what allows the entry point and the exit point to be connected.
- Roofs and parapets
- Exterior walls and cladding
- Windows and curtain wall
- Terraces, balconies and setbacks
- Building envelope transitions
- Foundations and below-grade
- Mechanical penetrations
Infrared, then confirmation
Infrared imaging identifies suspicious areas across a large surface quickly, which is what makes surveying a whole facade practical. Moisture testing then establishes which of those anomalies are genuinely wet, and psychrometric readings separate intrusion from condensation.
Where appropriate, controlled water testing of a specific assembly reproduces the conditions under which the leak appears — particularly useful when a leak only shows in certain weather.
Before demolition, and before responsibility is assigned
Destructive investigation is expensive and, once started, hard to stop. Establishing the likely source first limits how much has to be opened and gives a contractor a defined scope to price.
Where two parties disagree about responsibility, an independent survey is treated as evidence rather than as a position — which is possible only because we do not perform the remediation.
Water intrusion in homes
In a house the usual entry points are a basement wall or slab, a window or door that leaks in wind-driven rain, chimney and roof flashing, a deck or terrace threshold, or ice dams along the eaves. In New York brownstones and row houses, rain driven into old brick and pointing is a frequent cause.
We find the entry point and the path, confirm what is wet, and separate genuine intrusion from condensation — so you pay for the repair that fixes it, once.
- Basement and foundation leaks
- Window and door leaks
- Chimney and roof flashing
- Brick, stucco and siding
- Decks, terraces and balconies
- Ice dams and eaves
Common questions
Water intrusion investigation — answered.
Do you investigate water coming into houses and basements?
Yes. We investigate water intrusion in houses, co-ops and condos as well as commercial buildings, including basements, windows, chimneys, decks and roofs.
Is it a plumbing leak or water getting in from outside?
That is the first thing an investigation settles. Intrusion tracks with weather and appears after rain or snowmelt; a plumbing leak does not. Thermal imaging, moisture readings over time and, where needed, acoustic testing of the pipes tell the two apart before anyone opens a wall.
Can your report help with an insurance claim or a dispute?
Yes. Reports document the source, path and extent with thermal and visual images and moisture readings. Because we do not do the repair, the finding is treated as evidence rather than as a bid.
What is the difference between water intrusion and a leak?
A leak generally means water escaping from a pressurised or drainage system inside the building. Intrusion means water entering from outside through the envelope. They present similarly on a ceiling and are investigated differently, which is why establishing which one you have is the first step.
Can you inspect a building envelope from the ground?
Much of it, yes — infrared reads a facade from outside at a distance, particularly after sunset. Where a specific area needs closer work, access is arranged through the building.
Is condensation common?
Common enough that we test for it as a matter of course. A surface below the interior dew point will form water regardless of whether the envelope is sound, and treating that as a facade failure leads to expensive work that fixes nothing.
How do you find where water is entering a building?
By surveying broadly first and narrowing second. Water entering an envelope travels along framing, down stud bays and across slabs before it surfaces, so the visible stain marks the exit rather than the entry. Infrared imaging covers a large area of facade, roof or interior quickly and flags anomalies. Moisture testing establishes which of those are genuinely wet, and psychrometric readings separate intrusion from condensation. Where a leak only appears in certain weather, controlled water testing of a specific assembly reproduces the conditions.
How do you find the source of water intrusion in a commercial building?
By surveying the envelope broadly with infrared first, then narrowing with moisture testing and, where needed, controlled water testing.
Water entering a building envelope travels along framing, down stud bays and across slabs before it surfaces, so the visible stain marks the exit rather than the entry. Infrared covers a large area of facade, roof or interior quickly and flags anomalies that interrupt the building's regular thermal pattern. Moisture readings establish which of those are actually wet, and psychrometric measurements separate genuine intrusion from condensation forming on a surface below the interior dew point. Where a leak only appears in certain weather, controlled water testing of a specific assembly reproduces the conditions that trigger it.
Commercial building water intrusion inspection
A commercial building water intrusion inspection covers the envelope as a system: roof, facade, windows, terraces, penetrations and below-grade walls, surveyed thermally and then confirmed with moisture testing.
In commercial and multifamily property the finding usually has to serve more than one audience — a contractor scoping the repair, a board approving it, and often a carrier evaluating a claim. Reports are written for all three.
Building envelope leak detection
Building envelope leak detection is the diagnostic step that precedes envelope repair. It establishes the entry point, the path the water takes inside the assembly, and the extent of affected material — before a contractor prices anything.
Skipping it means a repair scoped to the visible damage, which is the exit rather than the entry, and a leak that returns the following season.
Water intrusion & leak detection
More in this service area
Hidden leaks inside slabs, walls and risers, and water entering through the building envelope from outside.
Why us and not a plumber
We write the report. We never bid the repair.
A plumber who finds your leak also sells you the repair. A roofer who inspects your roof also quotes the replacement. That isn't dishonesty — it's structure, and it quietly shapes every finding. We are an independent diagnostic company: we do not perform repairs, we do not sell materials, and we take no referral fee from any contractor. The report is the entire product, so there is nothing for us to gain by finding more than is there.
We can't profit from the work we recommend, because we don't do the work. If your roof is 8% wet, the report says 8% — not "replace the field."
We accept nothing from contractors for sending work their way. Take our findings to your own plumber, roofer, or electrician, or put them out to bid.
Boards, managing agents, and insurance carriers treat an independent finding differently than an estimate from the company that wants the job.
Sometimes the answer is condensation, or a warm duct, or a neighbor's roof. We're paid the same either way, so we say so.
Request an inspection in your building
Tell us what you're dealing with.
Send the details and we'll come back with a scope, a time window, and a price — including what the survey covers and what it doesn't.
Direct line
(516) 234-5012Request received.
We'll review the details and follow up within one business day.