Balconies Patios and Flat Roofs with Liquid Rubber Sealants

Balconies Patios Flat Roofs with Liquid Rubber and Fibre reinforcement on critical areas.

Fibre Tech Method with cement slurry for concrete surfaces.

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Masonry balconies; concrete, tiles and grout, and stone.

Why is my balcony leaking?

The masonry surface is porous and possibly damaged, and the waterproofing membrane has failed. This is the most common reason.
There may be structural problems with the balcony, such as: lack of expansion joints, drainage problems or flashing problems.

How do I fix my leaking balcony?

There are two options, depending on your cause:

Make the surface water-repellent.
Applying sealer to the balcony surface makes it water-repellent, and this fixes the leak.
Hire a tradesman to repair the structural problem.
If the balcony has structural issues, a relevant tradesman will need to be consulted. You can also hire a professional tradesman to replace the tiled surface and waterproofing membrane.

Introduction

Balconies are a common source of water leaks in apartments and houses. There are many reasons why a balcony can leak, and a few different options to repair them.

Balconies − overview

To properly understand what causes a masonry balcony to leak, we will briefly look at the components of a balcony.

The balcony plan/design
Structural bearers and frame made from metal or wood
Cladding that covers the structural frame
A waterproofing membrane that sits below the surface
The masonry surface of the balcony, such as tiles and grout, stone or concrete.
Water generally leaks through the masonry surface of the balcony, then into the subsurface structure. Usually the membrane will stop the water at this point, preventing it flowing into the rest of the structure.

When the membrane is compromised, water will damage all the balcony’s components, but in different ways, and at different rates. The longer a leak is allowed to continue, the more damage can occur and cost to fix it. Even with a functioning membrane, the surface itself is at risk of water damage.

Balcony Water Leaks − a List of 10 Common Causes

Masonry balconies leak due to a variety of possible causes. Below is a list of the most common ones.

1. Porous masonry surface

First and foremost, masonry materials such as tiles, grout and concrete are not waterproof. They are inherently porous and will allow water to penetrate through to the membrane.

Unless the surface is made water-repellent with a sealer, water penetrates through and then damages all elements of the structure over time. This includes damage to the membrane.

2. Broken balcony surface

Breaks in the surface like cracks in grout, tiles or concrete, are very conspicuous causes of balcony leaks. Water will pass through these cracks. The break can often be simple to patch up, using grout, a slurry or cemcrete. Once patched up, the entire surface should be sealed for water-repellence.

Broken/dislodged tiles would require the work of a tiler. A sealant would still be important after the tiles are repaired, and tilers can apply the product as part of the repair.

3. Structural movement

Building expansion and contraction occurs when a building heats up and cools down. It also occurs when water saturates the building materials. As the building expands and contracts, it causes breaks in the structure. This occurs over the long term.

Some balconies/buildings will have expansion joints to compensate for thermal expansion.

Expansion and contraction cause breaks in the various components of the balcony, such as the surface, tiles and grout, concrete cladding, and the waterproofing membrane. In regards to leaking water, the most important breaks occur in the surface and the membrane.

The surface will break and crack in places such as the grout between tiles, between the wall and floor joints and tiles can even become dislodged or buckle, in small or large numbers. When this happens, water will leak through the broken surface and into the structure below.

The expansion and contraction process can also warp or tear the membrane.
Balconies often require expansion joints (flexible joints that allow for building movement) or it can buckle as the building moves over time.

Expansion by efflorescence

Water also causes expansion and contraction of masonry substrates through a process called efflorescent.

In short, efflorescence is the white crystalline streaks that often form on exposed masonry surfaces. They are formed when water saturates a masonry surface and dissolves the salts and minerals contained in the masonry. As water then moves through the masonry it takes the salt and minerals with it. When the water evaporates, the salts and minerals are left behind as white crystals or streaks. This can form on the surface, but these crystals can also accumulate within the surface. When the minerals crystallise there, they expand, splitting the masonry apart, causing cracks. The cracks increase the ability of leaking water to pass through the masonry.

If you are seeing efflorescence on the surface of your masonry, this can indicate the cause of your balcony leak is the porous masonry itself. The masonry should be cleaned and then sealed to prevent further efflorescence and leaks.

4. Balcony membrane failure

The waterproofing membrane is a waterproof sheet that lies underneath the surface, preventing water from soaking through the structure. They are commonly made from polymers, bitumen, rubber and/or other materials. Membranes commonly have a service life of 5-10 years after installation.

Membranes can fail for many reasons:

Poor quality membrane.
Poor workmanship.

The leading cause of membrane failures is errors made in workmanship.

Membranes are often complicated, labour-intensive and demanding pieces of technology. They require professionalism in knowledge, discipline and teamwork both within the application team and with other construction teams on-site, in order to be properly installed and coordinated. They can fail for many reasons associated with workmanship:

Membrane not given enough time to cure
Surface not cleaned and dried or otherwise prepared or primed
Inconsistent adhesion to the surface
Air trapped beneath membrane
Membrane walked on/contacted before it’s cured
Pressure placed on membrane
Overlaps between membrane not fully sealed
Incorrect installation of other elements of the balcony
Cost cutting.
Membranes can be damaged through building modifications during the building’s lifespan.

Improper use

E.g. indoor membrane used outside
Cost cutting

Wear and tear

Building movement
Interference from building work/renovations later

Age of membrane

Membranes deteriorate through usage, exposure to water and time
If mould has developed on the membrane over its lifespan, this will cause damage
If water has consistently pooled up on the membrane over its lifespan, this will cause damage

Poor condition of surface below membrane

Contaminated
Uneven
Unsuitable for primer

Generally, this is difficult to identify without training and equipment, but if the surface is porous and/or damaged, membrane failure is likely to be a reason why the balcony is leaking.

Membranes can be replaced by removing the tiles and replacing the membrane. The surface can be waterproofed by using a penetrating sealer instead, leaving the membrane redundant.

5. Pooling of water on balcony

Continual pooling up of water in the area, due to bad drainage or lack of sufficient fall, can lead to increased water pressure on the balcony and increase chances, or rates, of water leaks.

This is easy to identify and may require specialist help to fix.

6. Weather damage to balcony

Rain, heat, cold, UV-light, ocean-air salt and other forces all wear away at the integrity and certain parts of balconies.

7. Bad drainage on balcony

Drain outlets − too few or too small in diameter
Improperly placed
Insufficient fall to outlet
Blocked drains
Lack of preparation for waste or debris

This will often lead to pooling as above.

8. No provisions for water overflows on balcony

In the event that there is a problem with drainage or heavy rainfall, there should be provisions for water to exit.

9. Inadequate flashing

Flashing is thin pieces of material installed to prevent the passage of water through vertical/horizontal joints, including the balcony floor and wall or the window/door opening.

This is a fairly noticeable problem; inspect the flashing for issues. It will need to be repaired professionally.

10. Inadequate expansion joints

If the balcony is buckling or breaking and there is no expansion joint, this could be a cause of your leak.

How to Fix a Leaking Balcony?

Call or Whatsapp Men@WorX for an inspection, and assessment of your balcony, patio, or flat roof on 0786665368.

Email : [email protected]

Visit us on www.men-at-worx.co.za

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Balconies Patios and Flat Roofs with Liquid Rubber Sealants

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