Waterproofing failure remains one of the most common and also one of the more costly potential building defects affecting commercial and strata projects.
Without professional, quality remedial waterproofing solutions, ongoing water ingress can compromise structural integrity, create health issues for residents and occupants, and expose building owners and strata managers to insurance disputes or non-compliance with legislation such as the Design and Builders Practitioners Act.
As a leading provider of leak detection Sydney wide, the BIM Sydney team intimately understands the importance of first conducting diagnostics on instances of waterproofing failure before providing a potential customised solution.
By focusing on diagnosing common waterproofing defects, and not just the strata leak repairs themselves, we work to provide certainty and peace of mind that our remedial waterproofing solutions will offer long-term durability and regulatory compliance.
What Causes Waterproofing Failure?
Understanding the root causes is essential in ensuring effective remedial waterproofing solutions. While there could be a number of causes, the most common factors our team comes across include:
1. Poor substrate preparation
When the substrate of a surface is not prepared properly, the membrane applied to ensure waterproofing can sometimes fail to adhere properly. This can be a result of inadequate cleaning, levelling or lack of moisture control and can have significant leak-related consequences.
2. Wrong membrane selection
Unfortunately, not all membranes work as effectively across different environments. BIM Sydney considers a number of different factors when selecting a membrane. Why? Because we understand that by choosing the wrong system for trafficable areas, for example, or immersion zones, or even movement-prone substrates can often then result in premature issues.
3. Flaws in the design
Design flaws can vary from insufficient drainage falls to subpar detailing at joints, or even overlooked expansion joints. These flaws can compromise what is an otherwise sound installation and cause waterproofing failure.
4. External damage
When you use a team that doesn’t have the remedial building services experience and reputation of BIM Sydney, you can sometimes incur unforeseen damage to your waterproofing membranes. Damage caused by mechanical penetrations or refurbishments can compromise your building and result in waterproofing defects.
How Can You Prevent Further Waterproofing Failure?
Due to the fact that each instance of leak detection is a result of a specific cause of failure, it can be difficult to suggest a one-size-fits-all remedial waterproofing solution.
That’s why we focus on providing building diagnostics Sydney-wide. With an understanding of the cause of the waterproofing failure, we can then ensure a precise solution that meets the needs of your particular application.
We are not talking about a standard, simple site investigation. We take a highly methodical, expert-led approach to building diagnostics and employ specialist technologies to do so, such as:
Thermal imaging
By using thermal imaging we can detect anomalies in temperatures behind walls or under floors. These anomalies point us to conceal moisture intrusion and water leaks that otherwise might go unnoticed.
Controlled flood testing
Our remedial building experts use highly controlled water testing to simulate a variety of environmental conditions and thereby track points of ingress. This stress tests the structural integrity and functionality of your waterproofing.
Moisture mapping and core sampling
Moisture mapping and core sampling are two additional techniques we use to provide data-driven insights into the extent of material breakdown, nature of the damage and cause of the waterproofing failure.
Using this combination of diagnostic tools, along with our team’s decades of field experience providing remedial waterproofing in Sydney, we ensure reliable diagnostics into why the waterproofing failed and propose repairs that are more than just corrective, but actually preventative of further issues.
What are the Common Remedial Waterproofing Solutions?
Once the cause (or causes) of the waterproofing failure is diagnosed and understood, a customised remedial waterproofing solution can be put together.
Membrane replacement
Replacing a substandard waterproofing membrane with a correctly specified and carefully applied upgrade can ensure a level of waterproofing tailored to site conditions.
Injection systems
When it comes to concrete crack repair, we can use pressure grouting or resin injections to seal the problematic cracks or joint failures in structural elements.
Detailing corrections
If there are issues in the design and detailing of your strata or commercial building, our team can provide general remedial building services, such as rebuilding drainage systems, re-sealing areas of water or moisture penetration, or reinstating expansion joints.
Protective overlays
Sometimes preventative waterproofing solutions are needed to ensure no further damage down the line. By adding coatings or protective overlays to your building’s surface, we can effectively safeguard against the risk of future waterproofing failure.
Every solution BIM implements is designed as a bespoke response to the initial diagnosis—not a generic patch, but a durable, compliant repair engineered to the project’s unique conditions.
Call Us Today for Waterproofing Repair in Sydney and Beyond
BIM Sydney is not just the leading authority in large-scale commercial and strata waterproofing in Sydney. We are also a locally owned and operated team.
This means we understand what our clients are looking for from their remedial waterproofing solutions: High quality, long lasting fixes that ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
At BIM Sydney, we understand that quick and cheap fixes simply won’t cut it. Between the requirements of the complex legislation, such as the DBP Act, and the reality of ensuring proper building diagnostics and subsequent waterproofing solutions, it’s critical that you turn to a fully credible, completely compliant and reliable expert to protect your high-value building assets.
By taking the time to work through a thorough diagnostic process before we pick up a single remedial tool, we provide complete peace of mind that a BIM solution is one you can rely on for the long term.
