Building - Waterproofing
Malta Business Review
Waterproofing At Its Best by Antoine Bonello
A good waterproofing cost less than one per cent of the property value, yet 80% of buildings damages are always caused by water intake.
A good waterproofing cost less than one per cent of the property value, yet 80% of buildings damages are always caused by water intake. We have all heard of many solutions on how or with what to waterproof our traditional flat roofs. Many of them do not even resist a winter. However, people keep applying them year in year out just because they are used to them, or worse, they think the roof is not worth spending any money on it, when in reality it is the roof that protects you, your family and your belongings from the elements. So what is the right product for our island necessities, and is there a need to do it every year? The truth is that our concrete roofs are continually subject to movements due to cold and hot temperature variations during the year. Products that are made from one part latex and three parts cements fail to deliver when subject to these movements as they are not elastic and not strong enough to hold the concrete movements. Others that are made from acrylics and other plastic compounds do not have enough UV resistance, becoming brittle and begin to flake soon after. They are not designed to resist our harsh hot summer and then be subjected to a thermal shock with our annual September storm- the time of the year were many people usually experience water infiltrations in their properties. Another product that I deem is the worse of them all is the bitumen carpet membrane, which unfortunately is very commonly used in Malta just because it is cheap to buy. The effects of this product can be felt instantly, the heat intake
in buildings increase by up to 80% requiring air conditions to work incessantly, becomes brittle due to the toxic evaporating oils and it ruptures easily from the welded joints when subjected to concrete movements, creating invisible cracks from which water can easily enter creating significant structural damages. What is worse is the fact that you do not realise the size of damages until you remove it so that the water trapped beneath it is freed. A good waterproofing system for our island must withstand heat more than water. Two important products that are leaving their mark are resin and polyurethane. They are environmentally friendly and certified to last very long. Two important companies that produce these products are FUTURA EUROPE and NAICI. Polyurethane can be used as an insulation material for roofs to reduce the heat intake; there are also government grants for this type of application. Another variation is polyurea that applied as waterproofing comes with a 20-30 year guarantee. On the other hand NAICI Resin Membranes are roller applied (perfect also for the DIY, easy to implement and are considered the best solution around, they are elastic, repairable, resistant to UV rays, can withstand heavy traffic, BBQ s, direct bonding of tiles (ideal for bathrooms), reflects sun rays and reduces heat intake. Another important product is the NAICI FIBRO GUAINA reflex, besides the above mentioned it is also thermal up to 91% and can help to increase solar panel efficiency due to its ability to reflect sunrays. There systems are also fibreglass reinforced, therefore stronger and can resist the elements for many years. MBR For more information visit The Resin and Membrane Centre showroom 264 old railway track St Venera Malta www.theresincentre.com www.maltabusinessreview.net
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