by: Brad Miller, Technical Sales Support Specialist
Homeowners and contractors spend large portions of their maintenance budget on waterproofing concrete. Typically, budgets are set aside just to repair and maintain the waterproofing system previously applied to the building.
Traditional waterproofing methods include complex steps that often result in failure. With the more steps, the more opportunities of installation failure occur.
Popular waterproofing methods:
• Membrane liner
• Spray-on liner
• Crystalline admixture
When installing a membrane liner, contractors weld a delicate, rubber sheet with seams on the basement’s outside walls and backfill with rock, often leading to ripping or tearing. If just one of those seams fail, a passage is created for water to enter the basement. It not only takes a highly paid professional to do this procedure, but also requires a lot of time and labor.
The largest issue with this waterproofing method is once the membrane has a hole, the whole system is compromised. With such a delicate procedure, a lot can go wrong.
Spray-on liners also have opportunity for failure during the installation. If spraying on the liner with not enough overlap, the coat could have an uneven thickness and success rate. And again, rock backfill could compromise the total structural integrity.
Additionally, with a spray-on liner, if you are adding on or building directly next to an existing building, there is no way to fully waterproof the connecting wall (blind wall).
Kryton’s Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) is an admixture system that is infused with crystalline technology to waterproof concrete. When introduced to water, microscopic crystals form and grow in all different directions to block water entering the concrete. KIM repairs cracks on its own and overtime it grows stronger, where other waterproofing systems become weak and require maintenance.
The concrete admixture comes in a biodegradable bag that installers can throw into the concrete truck while the drum is in motion and mixing concrete—requiring no labor or clean up.
KIM has been successful in high profile structures, pools, underground parking garages, liquid holding tanks and poured sea walls, as well as pre-cast pipes.
Waterproofing cracks and leaks is crucial to concrete’s structural integrity. When determining the best waterproofing solution, it’s important to consider expense, time and labor before beginning the installation. The wrong solution will cost you.
S1E: Source One Environmental (S1E) was established in 2009 to provide innovative solutions for municipalities, contractors and plumbers in the water management and infrastructure rehabilitation markets. S1E manufacturers trenchless repair products that provide customers with an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective solution while offering on-site training and consultations.