01 Feb Why you should waterproof your industrial building
Industrial buildings are a critical asset of any business within the manufacturing, electronics, logistics, assembly, power generation or food processing industries. It houses many of your critical operations, machinery, manpower and often doubles as the heartbeat of the business. It is little wonder then that business owners are willing to invest large amounts to protect their assets and pipeline.
One aspect that industrial building owners need to look out for in particular is the waterproofing ability of the external surfaces.
Why is Waterproofing Important?
Industrial building waterproofing involves the usage of materials to repel water from entering your building. By doing so, water damages can be avoided and thus your building be kept safe. While this may be basic construction knowledge, many business owners are not familiar with the term “water damages” and what it entails. As such, we have devoted this section to exploring common water damages.
How Water Damages your Building
Water by itself does not actually cause damage to your building. As such, it is seldom thought of as a danger beyond the imagery of a flooding of the building floor. However, water actually does facilitate structural damage way before any visible leaks occur.
When water enters your building’s structure, it increases the amount of moisture or damp within the tiny spaces in your materials. When combined with a lack of light exposure, these hidden spaces then become ripe environments for the growth of mould. It is here that your building’s structural integrity comes under threat as mould feeds on the various materials, weakening them.
Early Signs of Water Seepages
Most business owners discover water seepages when they see droplets of water dripping down onto their floor space. This is considered to be an intermediate stage symptom and is one step away from the collapsing of the affected portion. As such, it would be advantageous to find earlier signs of water leakages so that mitigation measures can be taken.
When mould starts to eat away at your building’s materials, a yellowish or brownish spot will emerge on the visible side. Alternatively, if the surface has been painted, then the paint may either start to dull or flak. In addition to visual signs, you will find the smell of the air becoming increasingly musky or the air having increased moisture.
The aforementioned symptoms occur at a relatively early stage of water leakage, and give you the chance to engage a waterproofing contractor to help remedy the situation. Through early mitigation, you can prevent any actual leaks onto the work floor or structural failures.
Threat to People & Assets
Should you fail to spot the early symptoms or delay in taking remedy actions, then the water leakage can quickly become a threat to both people and assets. Where the level of decay gets significant, whole parts of your structure may start to collapse and fall. This could lead to injuries should they land on any of your workers. Moreover, if the mould eats away at foundational structure such as your pillars, much larger damage could be dealt to the building as a whole.
Another danger that water can pose is to your building’s electric circuits or electrical machines. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity and thus facilitate short circuits should they come in contact with live wires. The subsequent surge in current and heat generated could be sufficient to permanently damage the electronics and even cause electrical fires.
The Complexity of Water Seepages
Unfortunately, water leakages are anything but simple when diagnosing or tracing. This due to their mobility once it has entered your building. Water can move through any hidden space in your building as it gets pulled by capillary force in any direction. Meanwhile, its ability to change into vapour or moisture allows its easy entry into the pores of all materials and to move on from there.
Given its mobility, water that has penetrated from your roof may not always manifest itself on your ceiling, instead it could first appear behind a storeroom wall or any other surface. This makes it challenging to not only find signs of water leakage but to also determine the actual leakage point.
The Weakness of Flat Roofs
Most industrial buildings are constructed using a flat roof design. This increases the amount of surface area available and allows for utilities like vents or pipes to be run through them. However, as a downside, flat roofs can at times be more vulnerable to water leakages.
Understanding Flat Roofs
For starters, flat roofs are not completely flat or level. Instead, there is a non-noticeable incline on them that is built in to facilitate a runway for water. When rainwater lands on the roof, it is important that it is escorted to drainage points where it can exit from the roof. In this way, water does not become trapped on your roof and create ponds.
However, where improper handiwork is done by the initial contractor, the incline or fall path may not be created well. In which case, water would not follow the intended path and tend to accumulate in spots. It is here where the flat roof becomes under particular threat as the roof’s surface materials are in full contact with water.
The Issue with Protrusions
Another weakness that industrial buildings’ flat roofs often have is the numerous protrusions from the surface. Vents and pipes are common areas for water leakages as the point in which they protrude from the roof’s surface is vulnerable to mini gaps forming. As such, when rain falls on the roof, it is relatively easy for water to flow through these gaps.
Choose ProSeal Contracts as your Waterproofing Contractor
ProSeal Contracts is a waterproofing specialist Singapore company with more than 20 years’ experience. As one of the leading waterproofing contractor companies, we use the highest quality of materials to ensure long lasting results. Trust us to assess, choose and apply the right waterproofing procedures for your building’s needs. Enquire about our services today.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.