30 Mar Remedial waterproofing of concrete pool area
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A concrete swimming pool area of a serviced apartment building recently underwent remedial waterproofing works carried out by our Waterstop Solutions team. The remedial repairs included the installation of a new high-quality pool-grade joint sealant along the balustrades and pool coping tiles, drain modification and leak sealing injection of a leaking vertical joint below the balustrade and a crack in the concrete panel underneath the pool.
JOINT SEALANT REPLACEMENT
Weather and exposure to the elements degrade joint sealants with time. It may harden and dry out the sealant, resulting in the loss of elasticity. All sealants reach a point where they no longer are effective – even with the correct installation of the right type of sealant. Oftentimes, a joint sealing refurbishment job allows us the opportunity to correct original design or installation flaws that may prove to be the root causes of joint sealant failure.
Our aim is always to ensure that our clients can expect the maximum service life of the joint sealant refurbishments that we do. We know that it is important to firstly determine why the existing sealant has failed and that it is crucial to choose an appropriately specified sealant and install it according to manufacturer’s specifications for a correct and long-lasting remediation.
On this site, the joint sealant of the surrounding pool balustrade and pool coping tiles were found to be pulling away from the edges of the joints. This allowed infiltration of water, chemicals and foreign materials into the joint. An ineffective joint sealant can often make a building more vulnerable to building envelope deterioration and that is why joint sealant replacement in due course is important.
The ineffective joint sealant was remediated by removing the existing joint sealant, cleaning the joint edges and substrate and installing the new high-quality pool-grade joint sealant. The larger joint gaps by the balustrades were filled with a backing rod prior to the installation of the new joint sealant.
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- Deteriorated joint seal along the pool fence
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- Joint sealing completed along the pool fence
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- Joint sealing completed along the copping joint
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- Joint sealing completed along the pool fence
DRAIN MODIFICATION
While inspecting the pool area, we observed water pooling underneath the tiled area near the drain of the pool deck. If left untreated, it can lead to the deterioration of the waterproof membrane because most membranes are not designed to hold water between the membrane and the tiles. It can also cause the tiles to delaminate.
If you can see water pooling on a tiled area and it is taking a longer time than reasonable to dry and drain away, it is most likely due to incorrect fall and/or inadequate drainage.
To treat the pooling of water underneath the tiles, we cleaned and modified the drain on the pool deck to improve the drainage of sub-surface water. The replaced joint sealant between balustrades and pool coping tiles will effectively hinder water from entering underneath the tiles.
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- Water pooling underneath the tiled area
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- Cleaning and modifying drain to improve sub-surface drainage
Advantages of reliable and durable subsurface drainage
- Facilitates the evacuation of water.
- Avoids pooling of water and saturation of tiling or topping screeds.
- Reduces moisture-related distress.
- Provides aeration to the building elements.
- Aids in protecting the service life of the waterproofing membrane and after trades.
More about subsurface drainage here
CONCRETE CRACK REPAIR – LEAK SEALING INJECTION
We also repaired the vertical joint and small crack below the balustrade where water was leaking below. If a water leak is left without repair, serious damage may be brought on both structurally and aesthetically.
To rectify the water leaks, we intersected the vertical joint and an identified crack beneath the pool the joint at targeted intervals and injected a flexible polyurethane at high pressure into the joint. After allowing the polyurethane to react and bind with any water present in the crack and surrounding concrete to form a flexible seal, the injection ports were removed and holes filled with a suitable high-performance concrete repair material and painted afterwards.
The small crack in the concrete panel underneath the pool only required some ‘spot’ injections to seal the leak with polyurethane. Once the injection ports were removed and holes filled with a suitable high-performance concrete repair material, the area was painted.
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- Spot injection in a small crack in the concrete panel underneath the pool
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- Spot injection
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- Spot injection in a small crack in the concrete panel underneath the pool completed. Ports pulled, holes plugged and painted
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- Leak sealing injection of vertical joint
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- Vertical joint – Injection completed, ports pulled and holes plugged
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- Leak sealing injection completed. Injection ports pulled, holes plugged and painted
If you have any questions about any upcoming works to be carried out, please feel free to contact our offices in Brisbane and Sydney.
Brisbane: 07 3205 1899
Sydney: 02 9346 8308
If you have any issues with water ingress, rooftop leaks, leaking balcony, leaking basement, cracking concrete slabs, structural cracks, concrete deterioration, spalling concrete, concrete cancer, deteriorated joints, moisture, seepage, efflorescence, rising damp and/or high-flow active leaks in concrete structures, we would be happy to assist you. You are welcome to contact us with any questions that you may have.
Are you interested in finding out more about the various remedial building services we are providing?
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Good maintenance begins with a proactive approach to maintain, keep, preserve and protect a building.
Remember that seepage/water ingress into areas such as balconies, basements, concrete roofs, car parks and retaining walls, should not be ignored – call a remedial waterproofing professional today for an assessment to provide you with the best solution for your situation.
At Waterstop Solutions, we carry out a wide range of remedial works to concrete structures post-construction stage in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Sydney and outlying areas in Queensland and New South Wales.
Equipped with major civil works experience, we can quickly determine the best approach to rectify all seepage and concrete deterioration issues.
It takes licenced remedial waterproofer and leak sealing experts like us at Waterstop Solutions to ensure that the pathways for water to ingress are properly sealed off. A depth of technical knowledge and experience, along with a proud reputation for integrity and reliability, has made Waterstop Solutions the go-to company for many Defect Managers working for major construction companies across Queensland and New South Wales.
We at Waterstop Solutions have the technical and practical expertise to diagnose the source of the leak and will provide you with our recommended solution to achieving an effective, high-quality, long-lasting repair to stop the water ingress with minimal disruption
We believe in and are committed to always delivering high-quality solutions by utilising the right products and techniques for each specific project combined with our industry-leading know-how on tap. We have a large talent pool of specialist leak sealing and concrete repair technicians with Certificate III in construction waterproofing in Queensland and New South Wales that are extensively trained in our systems and project execution methods.
The leadership positions on every Waterstop Solutions project are operated by highly qualified, certified and experienced industry professionals. Our in-house skills and expertise gained from more than 60 years of industry experience provide a full range of high-quality remedial waterproofing and concrete repair works to commercial buildings, civil infrastructures, industrial sites and residential properties. From waterproofing diagnostics, preventative and remediation solutions – All of our waterproofing solutions are quality guaranteed.