Water damage can lead to costly repairs and health hazards. At Underpinning, we specialise in comprehensive waterproofing solutions designed to keep your home or commercial property dry and protected.
Concrete starts decaying immediately after it cures. Even brand-new construction can require leak seal follow up work. Older concrete structures are even more susceptible. Leaks through concrete are generally going to be through cracks, joints, and honeycomb (areas in poured concrete of mainly course aggregate with voids in between). Depending on the water volume and pressure, and the size of the joint or crack, you are going to encounter weeping leaks, steady leaks, and gushing leaks.
Water intrusion can cause structural damage, mold growth, and a decline in indoor air quality. Our waterproofing services help you:
Imperfect Construction
Concrete construction is by no means a perfect science. New construction often requires leak seal treatment follow-up work. If the initial construction isn’t properly sealed at the time of construction, leaks are bound to appear sooner rather than later.
Weather and Wear
Concrete naturally decays over time. Exposure to extreme hot temperatures and extreme cold temperatures can take their toll over time. Even structures located in mild climates will begin to decay purely due to the aging process.
Unstable Soil
Unstable soil can undermine the integrity of concrete structures and cause cracks to appear. Loose soil has four main causes: soil erosion, poor compaction, freeze/thaw cycles, and biological decay. If soil is the main culprit, additional stabilisation and slab lifting treatments may be required to prevent further cracks from appearing.
Water Activation
Leaking concrete structures can be permanently repaired with concrete crack injection by using a water-activated flexible foam.
Pressure Injection
Pressure injection of these liquid polyurethane resins forces the material into leaking cracks, joints, and other defects.
Flexible, Watertight Seal
After the polyurethane crack injection is complete, the polyurethane resin rapidly reacts with water to form a flexible, watertight seal.
Why Are These Products Safe for the Environment?
Alchatek’s high foamers and resins have been approved for contact with drinking water (certified by NSF). That means these products can be used anywhere without having an adverse effect on water quality. Having our core products rigorously tested for environmental compatibility is a key component of our commitment to assuring “painless procedures” for customers.
What Are the Results?
From hairline concrete cracks to gushing foundation leaks, virtually any defect can be sealed with Alchatek polyurethane resins, optimised for sealing leaks.
Curtain wall grouting is often required when cracks cannot be identified, when the walls are made of material that does not respond well to crack injection (such as masonry, stone, and CMU), and when previous leak seal methods have failed.
Curtain wall grouting is the process of injecting water-reactive resin behind the leaking wall in a grid pattern (from the negative side). The water on the other side mixes with the grout and cures to a solid mass covering the surface of the wall on the other side (positive side). In addition, you don’t have water pressure dislodging external “patches” over time, as can be the case with other methods.
The PUR series expansive one-component polyurethane resins can be injected through the wall to cut off large flow and high-pressure water leaks. The resins react with the water on the other side to form a long-lasting, durable seal.
Aging sewer and stormwater systems across the country are plagued by infiltration and inflow; especially in areas with high water tables and sandy soils. Over time, compacted soils around catch basins, manholes, and culverts relax resulting in in deflection of joints, and pipe connections. The end result is infiltration of groundwater into the storm and wastewater systems. This infiltration erodes the soils surrounding below-grade drainage structures resulting in sinkholes, settling roadways, and property damage; not to mention the extra cost of treating that uninvited groundwater.
For below-grade structures that a man can safely enter, direct polyurethane injection is the best option. Holes can be drilled directly into the joints or leaking cracks, injection ports are then installed, and directly injected to permanently seal active leaks.
If interior access is limited, point grouting technique can be implemented. This involves driving pipes into the vicinity of the active leaks on the outside of the structures and injecting Spetec PUR HighFoamer.
Our experts drill a series of tiny holes in the affected area.
We inject our specially formulated polyurethane resin.
The resin fills the voids and hardens instantly, compacting the ground. The area is instantly reinforced and re-levelled if required.
Your Trusted Partner in Foundation Repair
Underpinning has a proactive approach to the long-term problem of failing Sea Walls and Retaining Walls. We have researched, trialed, and invested heavily in providing the latest technologies in revetment wall repairs and believe our construction techniques will lead to a fresh cost-effective solution to this looming problem.
Contact our office for a complete run-down on our Proprietary Scanning, Anchoring, and Resin Systems.
