Failed sealant and the water path behind it
The cheapest material on the building, protecting the most expensive junctions.
In short: Degraded sealant is rarely the problem itself. It is the reason the problem got in.
What sealant is doing
Closing the junctions the design relies on staying closed, around windows, cladding transitions and wet areas.
What we recorded
Sealant failed and degraded in five separate locations on Craigieburn properties, plus mouldy sealant indicating persistent moisture.
Why it is not cosmetic
Once the joint is open, water reaches the substrate behind it, and by the time that shows internally the repair is no longer a tube of sealant.
Mould as a signal
Mouldy sealant in a wet area usually means the moisture is not drying between uses, which is a ventilation and falls question rather than a cleaning one.
Maintenance that works
Reseal on a cycle rather than on failure, and treat a failed joint as urgent in an external location.
Written by the Owner Inspections team from inspections carried out in Craigieburn. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
