Major issues if waterproofing falls short

The devil is in the detail when it comes to roofing, it only takes a minor oversight to cause a major issue writes Ian Weston, General Manager at Aperture. A roof's weathertight protection requires more than a membrane and insulation. A commercial project is likely to include a host of plant facilities such as solar panels, rooflights, air conditioning units and fire escapes. Such details can lead to damp and ingress penetration, and the waterproofing system's failure, if not sealed correctly. Therefore, the need for a proven solution is essential in ensuring plant penetrations and the roof itself remains watertight.

Ideal solution

As with most, if not all roofing projects, selecting the appropriate waterproofing system is crucial in applications involving a plethora of plant penetrations, PV panels, air conditioning units, rooflights which require regular maintenance. A single-ply solution where an array of plant materials is present is not advised. When exposed to foot traffic and equipment used during maintenance visits, single-ply membrane is susceptible to damage. This in-turn is likely to lead to leaks and costly, long-term performance issues.

Evolution

Construction sites are a combustive mix of toil, tools and trades; therefore it's not unusual for elements of a project to be left to the last minute. However, when this comes to waterproofing details all sorts of problems can arise. This is where a company such as Aperture comes into its own. Originally set up to deal with penetrations in composite roof panels Aperture has evolved over its 17-year history in the industry to combat any type of roof detail and penetration.

Aperture liquid coatings are compatible with a wide range of existing substrates including, but not limited to, bituminous systems, asphalt, single-ply, concrete, timber and metal-profiled sheets. The Aperture system has permanent elasticity with a durable finish. It is hand applied by directly employed operatives, with minimal disruption and once complete, it is maintenance-free. Approved by Kingspan for use with its systems, the Aperture solution is backed by its own BBA certificate.

Awkward details

Due to the compatibility with most substrates, the Aperture solution is ideal for solving the sorts of problems encountered on new-build projects. These can vary from interfaces between two non-compatible waterproofing systems, awkward access details and most commonly, service riser penetrations. The application is totally cold-applied.

Based in Manchester, Aperture carries out several hundred projects across the UK each year. Its operatives are first-aid trained and qualified to a minimum SSSTS standard. This provides the client and employer with additional peace of mind whilst waterproof installation teams are on site.

Originally formed in 2000, Aperture was headed by Mick Philbin who retired in April 2018. To ensure the company continued along its successful path, Mick worked closely with new General Manager, Ian Weston, for the first four months of 2018 to ensure a smooth transition. Speaking of his new position, Ian said Aperture's success is based on its ability to react to any type of situation in a short period of time. He said: “I'm sure our customers see us as the ‘go-to' people when a difficult waterproofing detail arises. It's my intention to not only continue this service, but to build upon it and improve our customer base, whether it's a multi-million pound new-build or refurbishment, or a small building conversion, Aperture has a huge range of solutions to deal with the seemingly minor details.”

Visit: https://aperturesp.co.uk