Therefore we need a multifaceted complex solution. People don't like that, but that's what we're working on right now. The construction industry has been pushing the limits, now we have to pull them back. As we go from plain old twostorey houses, over time we have changed the fundamental materials used. We have made buildings taller, they settle, so balconies tip.
Bigger buildings take longer to build, so more water gets in.
In a larger building there are 200 dryer vents instead of one. Western red cedar used to be a common homebuilding material for outdoor applications. No longer as plentiful, it has been replaced with woods that need treatment, she points out. And new methods are being tested and utilized. Wood treated with sodium borate, proven effective in combatting termites, is also known to be effective for preventing rot indoors.