Understanding the importance of slope, weeps, and flashing

by Donato Pompo, CTC, CMR, CSI, CDT, MBA 

– The Construction Specifier, Volume 66, Number 5, May 2013 –

Exterior decks and balconies, and interior wet areas are more prone to problems due to their exposure to large volumes of water.  Failures of these areas are typically due to a combination of installer error, using improper materials, and not having thorough specifications and details.  The three common deficiencies found are the lack of an adequate slope-to-drain at the waterproof membrane surface, plugged drain weep holes, and the lack of adequate waterproof flashing to keep moisture from migrating into the substrate and tile or into adjacent materials causing expensive collateral damages. click here for article.