Understanding Waterproofing: Benefits & Types

When building one’s home, there are plenty of factors that come into play like

building a strong foundation, walls, and more. While these aspects play an important

role in structuring a home, waterproofing to plays an essential role in constructing

a sturdy and durable foundation. In this article, let's aim to understand the benefits

and types of waterproofing.

What is Waterproofing?

Waterproofing is a method that helps prevent water from penetrating into one’s

house. Waterproofing a home is vital as it helps keep your home dry and prevents leakage.

It reduces humidity inside the house and thus safeguards things inside your home from

damage caused on account of water exposure or moisture. Waterproofing one’s space

can lead to a long-lasting, healthy, and durable structure.

Benefits of Waterproofing

-    Waterproofing Strengthens and Protects the Structure

Water seepage into a buildings reinforcement in any form can lead to the loss of quality

and impairs resistance and longevity. Thus, waterproofing external and internal walls can

prove to be beneficial.

-    Waterproofing brings Convenience

Like they say, taking care of a problem can prevent it from arising in the future.

Similarly, waterproofing one’s home in the initial stages of construction can prove

to be beneficial. Waterproofing, apart from preventing water seepage, also helps

prevent the reproduction of bacteria and similar such issues.

-    Waterproofing Saves Cost

The cost of waterproofing at the construction stage is not that expensive as

when performed at a later stage. Robustness of the buildings is a more important

aspect that needs to be taken into consideration. Thus, waterproofing one’s home

during the initial stages of construction is considered a much better choice.

Types of Waterproofing

There are loads of questions that arise when one talks about waterproofing.

Especially, what are the types of waterproofing? There are few types of the most

commonly used systems of waterproofing, they include:

1.   Cementitious Waterproofing

Cementitious waterproofing is used in the internal wet areas such as toilets.

This type of cementitious waterproofing is semi-flexible, some even toward rigid type.

2.   Liquid Waterproofing Membrane

Liquid membrane is a thin coating that consists of usually a primer coat and two

coats of top coats. It provides more adaptability than the cementitious types of waterproofing

3.   Bituminous Coating

Bituminous waterproofing coating is made of bitumen based materials, and it is

not suitable for exposure to sunlight. It becomes brittle and fragile when prolonged

exposure to the sunlight unless it is altered with a more flexible material such as acrylic

based polymers or polyurethane.

4.   Bituminous Membrane

Bituminous waterproofing membrane comprises of a torch on membrane and

self-adhesive membrane. However, the torch on membrane is the more preferred

because of its shelf life and ease of use during application. The self-adhesive type

must be used fast as the bonding properties of the membrane is reducing through time.  

5.  Polyurethane Liquid Membrane

Polyurethane is also used for the flat roof area. It offers higher flexibility. Polyurethane

is very sensitive to moisture, and thus, before application, one has to be very careful

estimating the moisture content of the concrete.