Waterproofing-Necessity or Fad

Posted by amitkarande294 on September 19th, 2017

Waterproofing that is one process in the construction industry that is under remarkable split. Part of the builder lobby believes that waterproofing is an absolute necessity, while part of it feels that it is just a fad and the expenses incurred in the process are completely avoidable. A similar division can be seen among home owners.

It is however a fact that improper waterproofing, or no waterproofing, can seriously damage the foundations as well as the body of the building. By ignoring it, many people risk their lives and leave their building susceptible to the damages caused by excessive water retention during the monsoons.

In addition to this, waterproofing has some sub aspects to it, such as the roof waterproofing, and foundation waterproofing.

Foundation waterproofing is of utmost importance if one means to maintain the buildings base. Improper waterproofing may cause the water may seep in to the soil near the foundation of the building, and dampen it. This would put the balance of the building in serious jeopardy, and may also cause it to fall eventually. It simply cannot be ignored and is a major part of the building inspector’s job.

The other kind of waterproofing, is the roof waterproofing. During monsoons, the roof takes the majority of the brunt of the rains. If the roof does not have a proper drainage system, and good waterproofing, the rain will eventually trickle into the walls of the building and cause them to rust and expand. This will end up making massive cracks in the walls, as well as the seriously damage the integrity of the building. So skimping out waterproofing is not a good idea.

When waterproofing the building it is important to consider a few things.

1) Cover the entire area of waterproofing with equal amount of the Silicone sealant. Even if the smallest part is left unattended, the water might just trickle in through that part of the roof.

2) Do not use tar instead of the required chemical solution. Tar heats up very quickly, and even though it get the work done temporarily; in the long term it will do more harm than good to the structure of the building, by opening and expanding the already porous concrete used in the construction of the building.

Considering all of this, it is safe to say that waterproofing is not just a necessity, but also the wise choice.