Windows, cast-in-place concrete walls, and metal and glass curtain wall systems are examples of components and assemblies that, when properly designed and constructed, are expected to prevent the ingress of precipitation into a building. Assemblies such as roofs and veneer walls consist of materials specifically intended to screen precipitation.
Components and assemblies separating interior conditioned space from the exterior are generally required to provide protection from the ingress of precipitation. Components and assemblies separating interior unconditioned space from the exterior may or may not be required to provide protection from the ingress of precipitation. Buildings such as stadia, parking garages and some seasonally occupied buildings, for example, may not require complete protection from the ingress of precipitation. The degree of protection will depend to a large extent on the materials selected for the building elements that will be exposed to precipitation.
The word “minimize” is used in Sentence 5.6.1.1.(1) because not all moisture ingress or accumulation in an assembly need be of concern. The penetration of wind-driven rain past the cladding may not affect the long-term performance of the assembly, provided the moisture dries out or is drained away before it initiates any deterioration of building materials. When the design service life of a material or component is longer than the design service life of the overall assembly, taking into account the expected exposure to moisture, initiating deterioration of the material should not be of concern. That is to say, provided the material or component continues to provide the necessary level of performance for its intended service life and does not adversely affect the service life of the assembly of which it is a part, the deterioration of the material or component is not an issue.