Water ingress is a builder’s nemesis, one of the most destructive forces your commercial buildings can face.
When water seeps into your exterior walls, it can cause mold growth, structural damage and erosion, and a host of other issues that can cost thousands of dollars to repair.
When a professional sees signs of water damage, the ugly reality of costly repairs hits home.
But there’s a solution to help you avoid this reality: façade waterproofing. This process can protect your building materials from the elements and ensure long-term protection against water damage.
What Is Water Ingress?
Water ingress is the industry term for water getting into where it shouldn’t: the unwanted penetration of water into a building. It typically occurs in vulnerable places, such as cracks in exterior walls, roofs, or windows.
Common causes of water ingress include:
- Heavy rainfall
- Leaking plumbing systems
- A lack of proper drainage or blocked guttering
Whenever water gets where it shouldn’t, there’s a whole host of further problems. This can lead to building material deterioration, electrical hazards, and mildew/mold growth.
The takeaway? Water ingress will weaken your building in various ways and will have to be dealt with sooner or later. The later you leave it, the more expensive the repairs are likely to be.
The Solution: What Is Façade Waterproofing?
Façade waterproofing is the process of applying protective coatings or membranes to a building’s exterior surface to prevent water infiltration.
It forms a barrier that keeps water from penetrating the building envelope—the “skin” of the building. This barrier ensures a basic necessity for any building: the interior remains dry and safe from moisture-related issues.
The waterproofing solution you choose for your exterior façades will depend on the materials of your building (different materials require appropriate treatments).
Whether through liquid-applied membranes or other treatments, façade waterproofing is essential for building owners who want to preserve the appearance and structural integrity of a building.
Why Should You Conduct Façade Waterproofing?
Let’s take a moment to flesh out the many benefits of façade waterproofing as part of broader building restoration services.
Conservation
When you apply any waterproofing treatment to an exterior, you protect its substrate—the underlying material of the building’s exterior—from deterioration.
Water erodes the substrate over time, weakening the structure and leading to long-term damage. As such, view façade waterproofing as an active conservation measure, especially for historic buildings, protecting the substrate against this damage and enhancing the building’s lifespan in the process.
Insulation
When water gets inside a building, it will often damage its insulation.
Wet walls are harder to heat, leading to increased energy costs. Façade waterproof coating keeps your walls dry, thus improving insulation and, by extension, reducing heating expenses.
By protecting your building from water damage, you can see façade coating as an energy efficiency measure, too, since it protects the insulation within the building structure.
Appearance
A clean and well-maintained façade is key to maintaining your building’s curb appeal, giving any visitors a great first impression of your building.
Water intrusion leads to water stains, mold, and cracks that can detract from the property’s appearance, making it look neglected and unprofessional.
In contrast, a spotless finish to your building’s exterior has aesthetic qualities—something worth preserving for its own sake, never mind the unseen damage taking place.
Façade waterproofing ensures resilient, long-lasting protection that prevents these unsightly elements.
How Should You Go About Façade Waterproofing?
We’ve established the need for a waterproof layer on your commercial property, but what does the process look like? Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Preparing the Area
Inspect the building’s exterior for dirt and debris while checking for potential water entry points, such as cracks or damaged seals.
Power washing the surface will remove any visible dirt. Dirt is not only ugly to look at but often contains harmful contaminants that can erode the building material, so it’s vital to wash it all away.
Repairing cracks or damaged areas ensures a less vulnerable surface for proper waterproofing. This preparation will be key to achieving a long-lasting seal.
Choosing the Right Treatment
As mentioned, the right waterproofing treatment depends on the building’s material.
For example, suppose you’re working with stone surfaces, such as those on older or historical buildings. In that case, you might need a breathable sealant that allows moisture inside the stone to escape while still preventing water from penetrating.
On the other hand, for a concrete façade—common in modern commercial structures—you might use a waterproofing membrane that forms a tough barrier against water infiltration, as concrete tends to absorb water over time.
Whether you’re working with stone, concrete, or another material, it’s essential to choose a waterproofing treatment that offers excellent adhesion and is compatible with the specific building material.
This ensures long-lasting protection and reduces the likelihood of needing costly repairs down the line.
Priming and Protecting Surfaces
After cleaning and repairing your exterior area, you’ll need to apply a suitable primer. Priming ensures the treatment adheres properly to the surface.
Remember to protect surrounding areas by using plastic sheets or masking tape to cover surfaces that shouldn’t be treated.
Applying the Treatment
After prep, carefully follow the instructions for your chosen waterproofing treatment. Apply the treatment evenly, ensuring full coverage of any cracks or vulnerable areas. Depending on the product, you may need to apply multiple layers.
After application, allow the treatment to dry for the recommended amount of time before exposing it to the elements.
Maintaining the Waterproofing Treatment
Even after the waterproofing treatment is fully applied and cured, you’re still not done. Exterior maintenance is never-ending.
You still need to conduct regular inspections to check on the state of your exterior. Remember that fixing any minor issues you see straight away may seem inconvenient, but it is always much better than the alternative of much bigger problems developing as a result.
You can test the waterproofing by spraying water on the façade and checking for any leaks or moisture.
Reapply treatments as necessary to continuously guard against water infiltration.
Protecting Your Building From the Elements With City Wide Building Services
Façade waterproofing is a crucial investment in your building’s long-term health, protecting it from water ingress and the damage it can cause.
A properly waterproofed façade provides three key benefits:
- It keeps your building looking pristine
- It reduces energy costs
- It ensures structural integrity, helping you avoid expensive repairs
Doing all this exterior wall waterproofing can be time-consuming, and with your building’s structural integrity at stake, you might consider bringing in some waterproofing experts to do the job for you.
City Wide Building Services offers comprehensive cleaning and sealing solutions for property managers and owners looking to protect their property. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you maintain a waterproof and well-maintained building.