Building owners are concerned with water damages caused by waterproofing system failure, for several reasons. The first is the structural damage brought by continuous water seepage. The physical deterioration can be costly to capital investments made on the building.
Another reason is the non-compliance with building codes, specifically the commercial building waterproofing standards. Facility managers make it an absolute must to comply with the guidelines and measures defined by the building codes. That is why they constantly conduct routine checks and inspections of their facility structures to see if the waterproofing system is in good condition.
Contractors can accurately detect waterproofing system failures through detailed evaluations. But facility managers can tell early on if a waterproofing problem is already in progress, with these few tell-tale and visible signs:
1. Wet basement walls and floors. This indicates a continuous water seepage, either from above ground or from the ground water. Basements are supposed to be dry most of the time.
2. Growth of molds and fungi. Clumps of bacterial or microbial culture in areas of the building indicate a water source that feeds this colonies.
3. Rot. Wooden or concrete materials in the building are decaying, indicating that the location is moist and altering the temperature and humidity, causing rot.
4. Pooled water. Any amount of water that comes in from sudden rain or flood should disappear in a matter of time. When water remains inside, this indicates a failure in commercial building waterproofing.
