Have you noticed that some people have a higher resistance to diseases like cold and fever, while others fall ill frequently? It is often said that such people have ‘higher immunity’. Some deeper investigation will show that these people lead healthy lifestyles, including elements like adequate exercise and sleep, as well as a nutritious diet.
Did you know that similar to humans, some buildings also have ‘higher immunity’ than others? Let us see how!
One of the chief causes of deterioration in the health of a building is water-penetration. The natural presence of small voids in cement allows the water to penetrate the building easily.
Penetration of water into a building structure can cause the following damage, resulting in shortening of its life span or costly repairs:
- Corrosion of reinforcement rebars inside concrete
- Cement & concrete losing its strength, leading to expensive repairs
- Chemical reaction of various building materials with water, leading to gradual disintegration
- Bleaching and flaking of paint, reducing aesthetics
- Warping, buckling and damage to wooden materials in contact with structure
- Damage to electrical wiring and fittings
Did you know that a building could also be made ‘immune’ from these risks?
Say hello to integral waterproofing solution.
Integral waterproofing solutions are added to the concrete or cement plaster when sand-cement-aggregate mix is prepared. They are a great choice for protecting a building from the ‘inside’. They fill the small voids within concrete and plaster that tend to allow water into the structure. For instance, water tends to rise into the structure from moist soil beneath the structure. Finally, integral waterproofing solution also reduces the amount of water required for making concrete or plaster, saving a precious natural resource.
Cost Savings by Using Integral Solution
If the building is not waterproofed, it could require repair works after few years due to ingress of water. In this case, we give you an example of how using an integral waterproofing admixture like GODRY UNIPROOF can save costs in the long run. The following table illustrates the cost difference.
Table 1: Cost Comparison; Concrete with GODRY UNIPROOF vs. Plain Concrete Leading to Repair Work.
| Concrete + GODRY UNIPROOF | Concrete + Repair works | ||
| Items | Cost Per Sq.ft. | Items | Cost Per Sq.ft. |
| Concrete | 51.50 | Concrete | 51.50 |
| GODRY UNIPROOF | 1.60 | Repair Works | 185.00 |
| Total | 53.10 | Total | 236.50 |
(Prices given is an average of last three years. Current prices may vary.)
Note: The above values are obtained by assuming M25 grade concrete slab for 1 sq. ft.
Table 2: Cost Comparison between Mortar with GODRY UNIPROOF and Repair work
| Mortar + GODRY UNIPROOF | Mortar + Repair works | ||
| Items | Cost Per Sq.ft. | Items | Cost Per Sq.ft. |
| Concrete | 28.70 | Concrete | 28.70 |
| GODRY UNIPROOF | 0.60 | Repair Works | 185.00 |
| Total | 29.30 | Total | 213.70 |
(Prices given is an average of last three years. Current prices may vary.)
Note: The above values are obtained by assuming Mortar Mix grade MM7.5 slab for 1 sq. ft.
From Table 1 and 2, it is clear that the cost of repair work is far higher than prevention using GODRY UNIPROOF.
Aren’t you shocked, after seeing this cost comparison?
It is clear that cost of prevention is negligible compared to repairs. As a result, integral waterproofing solution not only protects the structure but also saves money in the long run. It is always wise to use waterproofing compounds during construction stage, which will increase the durability of your building and thus avoid repair works.
Admixtures Are Necessary But Not Sufficient
Having understood the utility and cost effectiveness of waterproofing admixtures, let us look at another analogy. Does a person with ‘higher immunity’ never have any serious disease or ailment? Can they avoid vaccination or not take preventive measures from communicable diseases like malaria, dengue or tuberculosis? The obvious answer is ‘No’. Even fit people can suffer from serious ailments from time to time, and it prudent to take preventive measures.
Similarly, even a building can face serious attacks on its health. For instance, a pipe inside a building can leak, pushing large amounts of water at pressure into the structure. Flooding can put a lot of water pressure on the building’s foundation. In such cases, integral waterproofing solutions alone won’t offer adequate protection. The building needs additional protection by other solutions like a liquid applied coating or impermeable membrane. Such methods, often referred to as primary waterproofing, can protect a building from attack by large amount of water, under pressure. On the other hand, integral waterproofing solutions are often referred to as secondary waterproofing.
Both primary and secondary waterproofing methods are equally important for buildings. To use our earlier analogy again, a fit person could get malaria or dengue, but that does not mean that it is not necessary to be fit! Similarly, any building faces different types of waterproofing challenges and multiple techniques are almost always needed to tackle them.
