Interesting news story-Rotted sheathing

Too bad I can’t find a video, but here is the printed version of this news story. http://www.kirotv.com/money/17328481/detail.html

Water found it’s way around the house wrap and destroyed this home.

Home owner is trying to blame the house wrap and the energy codes that required it.

With out seeing it first hand, I would suspect penetrations that were not properly flashed, siding not properly installed, etc. and wonder how often the owner was pressure washing the exterior.

The roof overhangs are too short (bad design for the Pacific NW)

Every time I see this kind of thing, you can often find water getting behind the siding around the windows and doors, and other penetrations.

Key words in the story: "I designed the house."

People think that, because architecture looks easy, it is. He saved a few thousand dollars in architect’s fees, didn’t he? Now what are his total savings?

I agree. In the Pacific Northwest, anything less than painstaking professional attention to water control details is likely to produce results such as this.

It is the tip of an ugly ICEBERG! imo

Went through this 13-14 years ago up here. Better details and a rainscreen system are needed. Rainscreen requirement for certain wall finishes is now in our codes.