Exterior waterproofing is an essential first line of defense when protecting your property from flooding. By coating the outside walls of your property with waterproofing compounds, you create a barrier that prevents floodwaters from penetrating inside.
When appropriately integrated into an overall flood-proofing strategy, high-quality commercial caulking and waterproofing applications on your property’s exterior can dramatically minimize water infiltration and structural damage.
Comprehending Flood Risks
Before examining the benefits of exterior waterproofing, it helps to review the main risks floods pose and be aware of the hazards that effective waterproofing aims to mitigate. During flood events, the main risks include:
- Structural damage: Powerful floodwaters and debris physically weaken the foundation and walls via hydrostatic pressure and impacts. Water also erodes substrates over time.
- Mold and mildew: Excess moisture allows mold, fungus, and bacteria to rapidly multiply, creating respiratory issues and rapidly compromising materials.
- Sewage contamination: Floodwaters often mix with septic systems and sewer lines, contaminating everything they contact. This creates serious health risks.
- Elevated repair costs: Flooding necessitates major restoration work, from complete drywall and insulation replacement to foundation repairs and drainage system overhaul.
- Displacement length: Depending on the severity of the damage, floodwater contact can render a property unlivable for months or longer during remediation.
- Financial loss: Flooding leads to irreplaceable property damage and loss, costly structural repairs, hotel stays, and lost rental income during displaced times.
Creating a Waterproof Exterior Barrier
Installing commercial caulking and sealants on your property’s exterior walls prevents moisture intrusion at the source. Superior waterproofing compounds fuse with substrates while retaining long-term elasticity to bridge cracks. When climate disasters strike, this exterior barrier continues blocking water despite extreme conditions.
Commercial sealants suitable for property exteriors fall into several main categories:
Elastomeric Wall Coatings
Fluid-applied elastomeric coatings contain rubberized polymers that let them stretch and contract with building movements. These durable, seamless blankets adhere strongly to surfaces while allowing moisture vapor transmission. Elastomeric coatings resist wind-driven rain, ponding water, and hydrostatic pressure.
Cementitious Waterproofing Compounds
These polymer-modified cement-based coatings stop moisture ingress through capillary action. Applied by brush, roller, or spray, they bond to concrete, stucco, brick, CMU block, and stone. Though vapor-permeable, they block bulk water under pressure. Some contain reinforcing fibers for added durability.
Self-Adhering Waterproofing Membranes
Flexible polymer-based sheets provide immediate water holdout when adhesive strips are removed and pressed onto surfaces. These impermeable membranes handle minor shifting while blocking moisture, including standing water. Quick application makes them suitable for retrofits. Common materials include HDPE, EPDM, rubberized asphalt, and butyl.
Liquid-Applied Membranes
These tough seamless blankets made of urethane, polyurea, or acrylic resins can be applied by roller, squeegee, or spray equipment over broad substrates. They prevent moisture intrusion while allowing vapor transmission to let walls breathe. Ultraviolet-resistant versions suit severe outdoor exposure conditions.
Using Exterior Waterproofing Strategically
To exploit its full potential, exterior waterproofing must connect cohesively to adjacent building envelope components. Always enlist reputable commercial caulking contractors to secure compatibility, proper detailing, and seamless transitions between materials.
Common areas to target with thorough waterproofing include:
- Full foundation coverage: To handle subgrade moisture and create a gasket effect, coat from the footing to above the finished grade level. Extend higher on downward sloping sites.
- Sheathing joints: Bridge wood or exterior gypsum board sheathing seams, especially if not taped effectively. Pay attention to corners and penetrations.
- Masonry control joints: Spanning control joint cavities with fluid-applied coatings seals the openings while allowing movement. Alternatively, compression seals and backer rods work.
- Window and door openings: Important junctures around frames and sills demand durable elastomeric joint sealants neatly installed per manufacturers’ guidelines.
- Wall/Roof intersections: Detail waterproofing membranes up over roof flashing while shingling roofing components on top of them. Maintain unbroken continuity.
- Penetrations: Properly flash or caulk all structural protrusions, including pipes, wires, ducts, lights, and vents, to preserve integrity. Avoid vulnerable gaps.
Having commercial caulking specialists handle the waterproofing application using quality materials and following best practices secures you gain the best possible flood resistance. However, fully protecting your property requires additional complementary measures.
Augmenting With Other Flood-Proofing Methods
While exterior waterproofing initially keeps floodwaters at bay, effectively flood-proofing your property requires a multi-pronged strategy. Common supplemental techniques to employ in tandem include:
Interior flood barriers: Portable water-filled door dams, low-profile passive flood gates, and inflatable airbag barriers provide temporary protection if water penetrates the building envelope. However, a safe setup requires ample warning time.
- Reinforced wall structures: In some cases, engineers specify structure reinforcement measures to endure hydrostatic loads and impact forces if flood levels will exceed typical waterproofing heights.
- Water removal systems: For redundancy, install sump pumps and passive gravity drains to swiftly dispose of any seepage so it won’t pool against your foundation. Proper slope grading also steers groundwater away.
- Raised utilities: Relocating necessary utility boxes, electrical panels, wiring, and climate equipment above expected flood levels curtails water-related damage.
- Advanced materials below the flood line: Only durable cement board, metal cabinets, stone finishes, and other water-resistant materials belong below potential flood heights inside a property.
- Emergency preparedness: Keep sandbags, plastic sheeting, plywood, and fasteners available to implement temporary containment measures during flooding emergencies.
The essential idea is not to depend wholly on exterior waterproofing but rather to integrate it with other flood damage prevention tactics for the best protection.
Trusted Commercial Caulking and Exterior Waterproofing Professionals
When you need professional guidance on designing and implementing an exterior waterproofing system to safeguard your property from flood damage, turn to Waterproof Caulking & Restoration. Our waterproofing specialists have extensive hands-on experience assessing drainage issues, building envelope conditions, and flood risk factors to engineer resilient solutions for your specific situation.
Contact us today at 484-265-9646 or online to schedule an on-site flood-proofing assessment and get answers to your most pressing questions.