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NIPPON PAINT WATERPROOFING SOLUTIONS
Durable and seamless waterproofing to safeguard your home from water damage
W
ater is an essential source of life and prosperity and plays a vital role in maintaining our health, grow our food or in managing the various aspects of life. For the construction industry, water is a vital component as it is required in the production process for many building materials such as concrete, steel and paint. However, water is also considered as a major threat during construction projects. Water seepage and leakage – due to environment condition or internal piping system – can lead to many arising issues ranging from wood warping, metal fabrication turning to rust, mould growth, bubbles forming under the paint and in worst cases buildings failures, all of which affect the structural integrity, as well as jeopardizing the safety and health of the building occupants. The phrase “prevention is better than cure” says it best; buildings – from private homes to commercial properties, both new and old – need to be protected against water ingress to avoid expensive and irreversible damages. Building owners, developers and architects are now paying closer attention when designing the project masterplan, going through every detail including fixtures and fittings with a fine-tooth comb to eliminate any possibility of water-related issues during and after construction. Even so, this could not guarantee long-lasting protection throughout the lifespan of the building.
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IMPORTANCE OF WATERPROOFING When it comes to safeguarding a building against water ingress, there are two possible solutions – damp proofing and waterproofing. Damp proofing is a coating, usually asphalt-based, that is either sprayed on or hand applied to the outside of the wall to keep out soil moisture, whereas waterproofing is designed to specifically keep out both moisture and liquid water. While both are commonly used solutions, waterproofing is the preferred choice as it provides complete protection from unwanted breach of water in both interior and exterior areas of the building. There are three types of waterproofing materials including liquid applied, cementitious and sheet type waterproofing membranes. Amongst these, the most common and widely used solutions are the liquid applied and sheet type waterproofing membrane.
Some owners and contractors often seek a bargain when comparing waterproofing materials without fully understanding that different membranes can produce different results and may not be suitable for their site conditions. This eventually results in inadequate protection against water ingress, not to mention incurring further costs to hire contractors to assess for water leakage, and buying exorbitantly-priced building materials to repair any water damaged area. In recent years, expensive remedial work to correct failures in below-grade waterproofing systems has motivated owners and designers to seek highperformance and reliable waterproofing solutions. Riding on the current market trend and driven by technology and innovation, Malaysia’s No. 1 coating solutions provider Nippon Paint, has been developing new waterproofing solutions to enhance the durability of buildings,
