​Is your balcony leaking? If so, you are not alone. Water damage is a common occurrence and especially with all the additional rain and moisture we’ve been having means that any area exposed to the elements has been put under extra pressure. This means that water damage caused by failed waterproofing membranes is usually 1 of the top 3 home insurance claims.

Remedial Waterproofing Association has identified the need for help with remedial waterproofing and we are here to assist you. To help you identify the cause of the leak or what may be your issue, we recommend going over the following checklist before you contact someone:

Seals around glass; the seals around the glass can shrink over time allowing for water to enter. Each time you clean your windows always check to see if you have any voids, if you do  then simply clean with methylated spirits and apply some silicone.
Overflow holes can become clogged; you might find that over time and with the excessive rainfall recently, that overflow holes in the metal tracks can become clogged. This means that since the water has nowhere to go it gathers. Make sure to regularly clean and clear these too.
Missing flashing/voids under the door; check your doors to see if there is any flashing or voids between the sill and the tiles. If there is, this can allow for water to get through. This can easily be fixed with caulking to prevent water access.
Leaky pipes; any pipes or plumbing that run through your balcony need to be regularly checked. You can also contact a plumber to do a pressure test to ensure there are no leakages present.
Rising damp;materials like concrete and brick are porous and if you have poor drainage,  water can gather and your walls & surfaces can become damp. This can be avoided by creating a run off away from these porous materials, this will encourage water to go away from the surface rather than gather.

Once these have been checked, you may have a bit more of an idea of what’s going on. You can then call in a leak detector to isolate the source of the leak if needed or use the search tool below to contact a remedial waterproofing specialist in your area to assist with rectifying the leak.

One of the biggest causes for waterproofing failures is movement and with the extreme weather we’ve been experiencing and more expected to come, your ‘small leak’ may not just continue but get worse. It is important that at the first sign of a leak to act immediately to prevent further structural damage. There are now options available to you, including being able to repair your balconies with a flexible, external waterproofing membrane. This means when movement reoccurs it is easy to identify, access and repair the failure opposed to removing the tiles each time and helps to limit cost.

A specialist is waiting to discuss your remedial waterproofing concerns.