As an Architect, you know your main two underlying goals are:
- To make your building project visually appealing, and
- To make your building project structurally sound in the long run.
Essentially, you want all of your creative and visionary elements to come together aesthetically while also ensuring they are functional, sustainable and safe for occupants for decades to come.
However, from our experience, problems often arise when one seemingly minor aspect is overlooked: waterproofing.
While waterproofing accounts for around only 2% of the total costs of a building, almost 80% of building defects come from water leakages and other water-related damage!
So, to preserve the aesthetics and overall structural integrity of your building project, it’s important that you always incorporate waterproofing in your architectural designs.
Let’s discuss the reasons why.
Why is it important for Architects to pay close attention to waterproofing?
Most of the time, waterproofing is often overlooked or ignored until repairs and restorations are needed to address the deterioration of surfaces caused by the presence of excessive moisture or water ingress.
So, think of waterproofing as a preventive and proactive measure.
Aside from protecting the design and integrity of your building, waterproofing safeguards you and your clients from potentially devastating damage that can occur – today and in the future.
To explain this more, here are 3 key reasons why Architects should never overlook waterproofing:
- Incorporating the correct waterproofing measures produces a better overall product
In essence, waterproofing enables Architects to easily comply with building codes and regulations. Waterproofing also helps enhance a building’s energy efficiency, minimise its maintenance and repair costs, as well as boost its overall marketability.
- Waterproofing prevents water damage and ensures building longevity
By factoring in sufficient waterproofing, your building will have an extra layer of protection against extreme weather conditions and other harmful environmental factors.
Some of the property damage types that effective waterproofing prevents include:
- Cracks
- Leaks
- Concrete cancer or spalling
- Efflorescence
- Leaking detention and retention tanks, swimming pools water features, etc
- Discolouration of walls and ceilings
- Corrosion of roof and window frames
- Musty smells
- Rising damp
- Water pooling
- Invasion of pests
By integrating waterproofing into your architectural designs, you can give homeowners and property managers the assurance that your building project is safe to occupy and will remain durable well into the future.
- Waterproofing is essential to avoiding health hazards
Damp surfaces can result in efflorescence and mould growth. When left unresolved, these issues can then lead to health risks such as allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory problems.
Water-related damage can also weaken the building’s structure too. Hence, planning for effective waterproofing right from the beginning can help add more value to every building and mitigate future risks.
- Waterproofing can help avoid legal disputes
Water-related damage that often gets overlooked in architectural designs can cause building disruptions and construction challenges, as well as ongoing concerns.
This can lead to some unhappy clients which may then result in legal disputes and liability issues.
They say prevention is better than cure! So, by making waterproofing a priority, Architects can avoid cases like these from happening – helping to prevent costly legal expenses, financial repercussions and reputation damage.
Waterproofing design best practices for Architects
By integrating waterproofing into the initial design phase, Architects can play a crucial role in protecting buildings.
Here are a few best practices you can observe to get excellent results from waterproofing:
- Assess the project site – It is necessary to understand the site conditions and external environment, including possible sources of water infiltration. Through this, you can then effectively incorporate a waterproofing system into your architectural designs and cover all bases.
- Consult waterproofing professionals – Seeking the expertise and insights of professional waterproofing contractors or experts can enable you to avoid waterproofing mistakes.
- Choose the right waterproofing products – It’s also important to take into account the kind of waterproofing products that will be used in each area. At Scientific Waterproofing Products (SWP), we offer a wide range of Drizoro cement-based waterproof coatings that are made from high-quality raw materials and backed by a 10-year product warranty.
We have waterproofing solutions for permanent formwork, exterior flooring, walls, basements, roof decks, swimming pools, planter boxes and more.
- Have an inspection and maintenance plan in place – Encourage your clients to perform regular maintenance even after the building has been constructed to proactively remediate any water-related problem that could happen.
- Stay up to date with the latest advancements and trends in waterproofing – By understanding the relevant waterproofing technologies and trends, you’ll be able to align your architectural designs with the evolving needs of clients.
Do you have more questions or issues around waterproofing?
Don’t hesitate to consult your local Australian waterproofing specialists.
You can read us on:
- National Sales Hotline: 1300 303 301
- Technical Support: 1300 303 301
Get the right specification of waterproofing products for your next project
At Scientific Waterproofing Products, our team is here to provide you with the most effective waterproofing for your unique project.
If you want to learn more about our cement-based waterproofing products and why they are the right solutions for your project, contact us today! You can also check out a list of local Drizoro resellers and applicators here.
As always, SWP is committed to providing the right waterproofing solution for any water-related problem or application.