All About Waterproofing

Most people don’t even think about waterproofing until it’s already too late for prevention. While you can solve most of the issues that arise as a consequence of a water leak or prolonged exposure to moisture, there are some problems that will require quite a bit of money, effort or time to solve, so ensuring that they never crop up in the first place is without a question the best possible course of action. We’ll try and outline some of the most vulnerable parts of the household, as well as some tips on how to either prevent water damage, or repair the affected areas.

Concrete Waterproofing

Even though it is significantly more resilient to water than some of the other materials commonly used in construction, if exposed to too much moisture, it can develop a condition known as concrete cancer. This is manifested through star shaped cracks in the concrete, flaking or bubbles and can lead to serious deterioration. Naturally, depending on your level of expertise and budget, you might decide to call in the professionals, or alternatively, do the work yourself.

If you opted for the latter option, there are a couple of things that you should know. Before waterproofing the affected patch, you’ll have to prep it by sealing smaller cracks with polyurethane caulking and larger ones with fresh concrete. The area might need some grinding, as the protective membrane or substances that are to be applied will adhere much better and last longer if the patch being mended is smooth and clean. When it comes to the protective agents, you can choose between various polymer based liquid membranes, self-adhering sheet membrane or cementitious waterproofing. If you don’t have any experience with this kind of thing, asking for advice at this point could be crucial, as the choice of the ideal protection will depend on a number of factors.

Basement Waterproofing

Basements are usually neglected because of their position and the fact that they are usually not required to look all to presentable. However, being bellow the ground level, they are quite prone to water damage, which can cause serious issues if the damage moves to the foundation. That’swhy it is of crucial importance to have the outer walls of the basement (or foundation) waterproofed. This is a somewhat more demanding task than most of the other waterproofing interventions, so calling a professional might be your best bet in this kind of situation.

Bathrooms

According to a reputable Sydney-based bathroom renovation service, bathroom waterproofing is not something that you can just choose to ignore, as council regulations often stipulate that bathroom walls have to be waterproof, at least to the height of 1.8 meters. Naturally, even if the regulations were different, leaving water leaks in the bathroom unattended could cause you quite a bit of grief, and is by no means recommended.

The areas which are most often found problematic are the shower drain and the line between the floor and the walls of the bathroom. Both issues can usually be fixed with the same polyurethane membranes used to waterproof concrete, but a shower drain leak might require a more complex procedure necessitating a professional intervention.