ASTM E3026-15

Standard Guide for Readily Observable Moisture Affected Materials and Conditions Conducive to Elevated Moisture in Commercial Buildings: Visual Moisture Assessment Process

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Use—This guide is intended for use on a voluntary basis by parties who wish to obtain a limited survey of commercial real estate to assess for readily observable moisture-affected materials and physical deficiencies conducive to elevated moisture as part of a commercial real estate transaction or commercial property management. This guide is intended to constitute a baseline inquiry using representative observations for the purposes of conducting due diligence regarding the actual and potential presence of readily observable moisture affected materials and physical deficiencies conducive to elevated moisture in connection with a property. Inquiries that are more and less comprehensive than this guide (including, in some instances, no inquiry) may be appropriate in some circumstances in the opinion of the user (for example, when the presence of moisture affected materials is known to the user). Furthermore, no implication is intended that a person must use this guide in order to be deemed to have conducted appropriate inquiry in a commercially prudent or reasonable manner in a particular transaction. Nevertheless, this guide is intended to reflect a commercially prudent and reasonable inquiry. However, a VMA is not intended to serve as a comprehensive survey for the presence of readily observable moisture affected materials and physical deficiencies conducive to elevated moisture in all or most of the building systems throughout a commercial building.  
4.2 Clarification of Use:  
4.2.1 Specific Point in Time—Because conditions conducive to elevated moisture in a building can vary greatly over time due to changes in weather, interior air handling and conditioning, occupancy, and so forth, a user should only rely on the results presented in the report for the point in time at which the VMA was conducted.  
4.2.2 Site-Specific—This guide is site-specific in that it relates to assessment of readily observable moisture affected materials and physical deficiencies...
SCOPE
1.1 Purpose—The purpose of this guide2 is to define good commercial practice for conducting a baseline survey for readily observable moisture affected materials and conditions conducive to elevated moisture in a commercial building related to a commercial real estate transaction or commercial real estate asset management by conducting: a walk-through survey, document reviews, and interviews as outlined within this guide. This guide is intended to provide a practical means for the visual identification of moisture affected materials and physical deficiencies conducive to elevated moisture as a result of water infiltration through the building envelope or substructure, or generated within the subject building as a result of processes or mechanical systems, excluding de minimis conditions. This guide is to allow a user to assess general moisture concerns, as well as the potential need for further assessment or other actions that may be appropriate that are beyond the scope of this guide. For purposes of this guide, the initialism “VMA” or “Visual Moisture Assessment” is used interchangeably with this guide’s full title.  
1.2 Purpose Limitations—While a VMA may be used to survey for readily identifiable moisture affected materials and physical deficiencies conducive to elevated moisture, the VMA is not designed to serve as comprehensive survey for the presence of moisture affected materials and physical deficiencies conducive to elevated moisture in all or most areas in a commercial building. It is not intended to reduce or eliminate the risks that elevated moisture may pose to the subject building or its occupants.  
1.3 Considerations Beyond This Scope—The use of this guide is strictly limited to the scope set forth in this section. Section 12 of this guide identifies, for informational purposes, certain physical conditions (not an all-inclusive list) that may exist at a property and certain activities or procedures (no...

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Jul-2015
• ICS: 91.040.01 - Buildings in general
• ICS: 91.120.10 - Thermal insulation of buildings
• Technical Committee: E50 - Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action
• Drafting Committee: E50.02 - Real Estate Assessment and Management

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E3026 − 15
Standard Guide for
Readily Observable Moisture Affected Materials and
Conditions Conducive to Elevated Moisture in Commercial
1
Buildings: Visual Moisture Assessment Process
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E3026; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope Section 12 of this guide identifies, for informational purposes,
2 certain physical conditions (not an all-inclusive list) that may
1.1 Purpose—The purpose of this guide is to define good
exist at a property and certain activities or procedures (not an
commercial practice for conducting a baseline survey for
all-inclusive list) that are beyond the scope of this guide but
readily observable moisture affected materials and conditions
may warrant consideration by users. The need to investigate
conducive to elevated moisture in a commercial building
any such conditions in the provider’s scope of services should
related to a commercial real estate transaction or commercial
be evaluated based upon, among other factors, the nature of the
real estate asset management by conducting: a walk-through
property and the reason for conducting the VMA. The scope of
survey, document reviews, and interviews as outlined within
such further investigation or testing services should be agreed
this guide. This guide is intended to provide a practical means
upon between the user and the provider as additional services,
for the visual identification of moisture affected materials and
which are beyond the scope of this guide, prior to initiation of
physical deficiencies conducive to elevated moisture as a result
the VMA process. The responsibility to initiate work beyond
of water infiltration through the building envelope or
the scope of this guide lies with the user.
substructure, or generated within the subject building as a
1.3.1 Sampling for suspect fungi and other forms of biologi-
result of processes or mechanical systems, excluding de
cal growth is a non-scope consideration under this guide.
minimis conditions. This guide is to allow a user to assess
1.3.2 Sampling or otherwise measuring for moisture is a
general moisture concerns, as well as the potential need for
non-scope consideration under this guide.
further assessment or other actions that may be appropriate that
are beyond the scope of this guide. For purposes of this guide,
1.4 Organization of the Guide—This guide has 13 sections
the initialism “VMA” or “Visual Moisture Assessment” is used
and three appendices. Section 1 defines the Scope. Section 2 is
interchangeably with this guide’s full title.
Referenced Documents. Section 3 is Terminology. Section 4
defines the Significance and Use of this guide. Section 5
1.2 Purpose Limitations—While a VMA may be used to
describes User Responsibilities. Sections 6 through 11 provide
survey for readily identifiable moisture affected materials and
guidelines for the main body of the report, including the scope
physical deficiencies conducive to elevated moisture, the VMA
of the walk-through survey and preparation of the report.
is not designed to serve as comprehensivesurvey for the
Section 12 and Appendix X1 identify Out of Scope Consider-
presence of moisture affected materials and physical deficien-
ations. Section 13 lists keywords for Internet reference. Ap-
cies conducive to elevated moisture in all or most areas in a
pendix X1 provides the user with additional VMA scope
commercial building. It is not intended to reduce or eliminate
considerations, whereby a user may increase this guide’s
the risks that elevated moisture may pose to the subject
baseline scope of due diligence to be exercised by the provider,
building or its occupants.
Appendix X2 provides the user with a suggested Interview
1.3 Considerations Beyond This Scope—The use of this
Checklist, and Appendix X3 provides the user with a suggested
guide is strictly limited to the scope set forth in this section.
Field Checklist.
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1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E50 on Environmental
Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the direct responsibil-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
ity of Subcommittee E50.02 on Real Estate Assessment and Management.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2015. Published September 2015. DOI:
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
10.1520/E3026–15
2
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Whenever terms defined in
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