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Waterproofing roofs before the Summer rainfall using a.b.e. quality products

It is best to do roof waterproofing before the Summer rainfall


There are essentially four common types of roof finishes, namely tile, slate, flat cement and metal roofs and is important to consider, when deciding on the type of waterproofing solution for your application.

Rain runoff from roof.

Tiled Roofs:

All gutters should be cleared of debris and downpipes checked to see if they are running freely. A visual inspection of the tiles would show any cracked or broken tiles, which should be replaced. Roof valleys should be checked and cleaned to ensure free flow of the rainwater. The ridge tiles should be inspected for displacement or cracking. Tile cracks can be treated with bituseal® plastic, a bitumen mastic, which can be used in conjunction with abe® membrane.  Waterproof with super laycryl® a bitumen-acrylic emulsion for flashings, parapet walls, roof ridging, valley gutters and overlaps.

As most tiled roofs have parapet walls, the crowns of these walls should be examined for cracks in the plaster. Deterioration of the wall will be speedy if the correct actions are not taken: the use of either super laycryl®, with abe® membrane will  prevent water ingress and extend the life of the plastered parapet crown.

Slate Roofs:

Prior to the rains, gutters should also be cleaned and downpipes checked. Valleys should be cleared of obstructions and ridges checked for displacement. A visual examination of the slate tiles should show any cracked or broken slates and slippage or displacement.

A slate roofing contractor should inspect the integrity of the under-tile membrane to ensure that the membrane is still sound to prevent leaks. Replace with slatex® 2000, a bituminised roo?ng felt, faced over half its width with a heat-laminated layer of aluminium foil.

Concrete Roofs:

Flat concrete roofs are conventional screeded roofs and should not be difficult to waterproof using super laykold® or abedex® torch-applied membrane.

Without damaging the liquid or torch-applied waterproofing system, the flat roof area should be swept clean of wind-blown debris, the outlets cleared to allow free flow of rain water. The internal angles i.e. the joints between the wall and floor, are the most likely to leak so these areas should be checked regularly.

The areas between the horizontal and vertical interfaces should be checked for damage either through movement, or wear and tear, and repaired with materials compatible with the waterproofing system installed. The life cycle of a flat roof waterproofing system can be extended by the application of silvakote® which protects against UV attack and acts as a thermal barrier by reflecting the rays of the sun, thereby reducing the internal temperature.

Metal Roofs:

Again prior to the onset of rain, gutters and downpipes should be cleaned regularly, the valleys cleaned, ridges and overlaps inspected. The wind can cause the sheets to move against the securing fasteners, widening the penetration and allowing water ingress.

The lap joints, cross-lap joints and roofing bolts on metal roofs can be easily waterproofed with super laykold®  and abe® membrane or super laykold® tape.

super laykold® is a rubberized bitumen emulsion that requires overcoating with silvakote® to protect against UV exposure to enhance the longevity of the waterproof coating. super laykold® tape, a peel-and-stick bitumen waterproof tape with aluminium foil, protects the bitumen from UV-lamination on the upper exposed side.

a.b.e. waterproofing products

a.b.e Construction Chemicals
LEADERS IN INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS

101 Main Reef Road
Boksburg
Gauteng
South Africa
1461

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