MAKING HOMES SAFE

Roofing, cladding and waterproofing are all part of an exercise to ensure residents stay tension-free

- MOLLY R

Buildings need to be protected. And there are various ways of doing so. Generally, the right roof, cladding and water-proofing are the three main ways. Problems related to unwanted moisture are by far the most common and expensive of those encountered in building design and construction. The common avenues of water intrusion are: roof leaks, degraded sealants around windows and other penetrations, and seepage through concrete cracks. Other leak sources are not so obvious and require careful evaluation of not only the individual envelope components (e.g., roofing membrane, wall cladding, foundation waterproofing, windows) but also the interface between components and their interaction with the HVAC systems.

ROOFING

Terrace is the most crucial segment of a building, and it is exposed to direct climatic variations, extremes of rainfall and structural movements caused thereby. Every effort should be taken at the design stage itself to ensure that a proper protection system has been incorporated. It has often been found that the economic solution is not always the best solution. So, the system, which assures maximum protection, should be selected even though it may cost little more.