Water ingress is rarely straightforward. The point where water appears internally is often not the point where it enters the building, and acting on early assumptions can lead to unnecessary repairs, wasted cost and unresolved leaks.
IntegriTest approaches leak investigation as a technical diagnosis, not a simple test visit. We inspect, test, rule out and verify using the most appropriate combination of visual inspection, electronic testing, dye testing, flood testing, hose testing, spray testing and moisture assessment.
We consider the roof construction, interfaces, detailing, drainage, previous repairs and internal symptoms to build a clear picture of how water may be entering and moving through the building.
Our aim is to establish the most likely source and pathway of water ingress, giving clients a practical technical basis for targeted remedial works.
By narrowing the issue properly, we help reduce guesswork, avoid unnecessary opening-up and support repairs that address the actual cause.
Upon completion we produce a clear written report showing our methods and outcomes of the leak investigation with recommendations on remedial strategies. Complete with photos, a marked up roof and roof plan you will have the information you need to repair the waterproofing.
The principle is simple. When the substrate is conductive (i.e. Concrete deck, profile sheet metal deck, or foil faced insulation), the waterproofing membrane acts as an electrical insulant. The Pinhole detector produces a high voltage which is passed through a copper brush over the entire surface of the membrane. Any breaches in the membrane will provide an electronic pathway to earth and thereby ionising the air creating a spark and an audible alert on the machine. This is then marked on the surface of the waterproofing membrane to facilitate their repair. Photos are taken and reproduced into a report which are sent via email the next working day.
Essentials:
Where an electronic leak detection is incompatible or the source of the leak is believed to be coming from somewhere other than the waterproofing membrane, then other techniques can be used to determine the source of the water ingress. A flood test is just as you would suspect, the IntegriTest operative will block the rainwater outlets on the roof and proceed to flood the roof in order to recreate the leak. When it comes to rainfall simulation the IntegriTest operative will determine the most likely sources of water ingress and direct a spray of water (often with different colours of dye) at these locations in order to recreate the leak and thereby confirm the location of the source of water ingress.
Essentials:
Similarly to the dry test the substrate must be conductive for the test to work. However, the area of membrane under-test must remain consistently wet during the test. The test works by producing a electrical field within the test area, using a stainless steel cable and a pulse generator. Utilising the detector poles/unit the IntegriTest operative will detect any disruptions within the generated field. A disruption in the field is caused by an electrical pathway to earth.
Any defects are then marked on the surface of the membrane to facilitate their repair. And photos are taken and reproduced into a report, which will be sent via email the next working day.
Essentials: