WEATHER TIGHTNESS

 

Fixing the leaks is a problem afflicting many of our apartments. It is a combination of age and weather ... and also bad luck.  

Concrete is permeable to water, yet usually doesn't leak significantly. However, cracks or poorly sealed joints can allow water to seep through, making it important to properly seal concrete surfaces to prevent leaks in critical areas. The windows in our building were set hard up against the concrete, meaning that this was a hugely important issue. And, while there was a sealant, it has deteriorated and vanished over the years.

You can see this in the lefthand image -- the window frame is hard up against the panel and the blockwork behind it.  

The first fix is shown in the righthand image. The timber cover of the join is taken away, and a sealant inserted in the gap.

The next job is to cover the sealant with a flashing -- a metal moulding that will protect the wood from further damage, and prevent water being blown into the adjoining concrete.

Here you can see three views of the flashing -- which will be powdered white in the final version. Its shape is designed to protect the frame. In some cases there will be a need to reinforce the bottom corner, also to install a flat bar on the face of the sill to protect it from driving rain. 

Images courtesy Martin Hubbard, The Building Intelligence Group