A home is a place where everyone truly relaxes from the stressed mind and refreshes their thoughts. It's heaven as long as you live with your family and your loved ones. The dream homes need not be large or have a lot of facilities. Maintaining such a splendid home is essential as it helps protect the structural foundation and preserve its aesthetic value.
Whether it's residential, commercial, or industrial, almost all properties are susceptible to water damages at least once in their lifetime. The common causes of building cracks are the flawed drainage system, heavy loads due to the movement of machinery and vehicles, and normal wear and tear. These cracks can be successfully treated with PU injection without significant renovation.
Grout is made up of various materials, cement, sand, and water/chemicals used after tiles have been installed to cover gaps, cracks, and seams. You can be perplexed as to the distinction between grout and concrete. There is, of course, a distinction to be made. Of course, there is a distinction to be made. The concrete has gravel added to it along with other substances for greater strength and roughness. At the same time, the grout filler is thinner (made of fine sand) and of more spreadable nature.
Grouting is an advanced technique of injecting grout material into the cavities, voids, gaps, and joints. The primary purpose of grouting is to strengthen the formation, reduce the water flowing through it and correct the faults like cracks in concrete and masonry structures. The various requirements of grouting that is considered are as follows:
1) The grouting material should possess dimensional stability. That is, it has the property to change in shape and volume.
2) It should be non-corrosive, non-staining, and resistant to the effects of moisture.
3) It should have a greater compressive and tensile strength in structural applications and withstand the high load orstress without rupture.
4) The grout material varies significantly according to the temperature changes. In extreme temperatures, specially formulated or amending admixtures should be used to overcome its effect.
5) Ts durability, the hardening nature, health, and safety requirements are also to be considered.
6) In 2003, World Health Organisation submitted a report about the SARS virus transmission through the defected wastewater plumbing system. When Hong Kong's 50 story building had confirmed about 342 cases and 42 deaths due to the shared plumbing network, they concluded this.
Portland cement is the most commonly used cementing agent in grout. The polyurethane and epoxy-based formulas are becoming popular nowadays, which are used based on the location and structure application.
Based on the materials used for grouting, it is classified into many types. Different grout materials have other characteristics; choosing the right type for your leak repair is important. The available grout options are as follows:
1. Cementitious Grouting: This type of grouting uses traditional grouting material like cement and water, along with admixtures and additives for residential applications. If this is used for quarry, slate, or natural stone tiles, grout stains are possible on the surface.
2. Epoxy Resins: This type of grouting contains resins and hardener that makes it less porous than cementitious grouting. It adheres well to metal, concrete, and ceramics but not on wet surfaces. It is vital, resistant to chemicals, and can be used ideally for kitchen areas.
3. Acrylic Resins: This type of grouting forms a permanent gel with high tear strength and is most suitable to use for architectural coatings and product finishes.
4. Polyurethane: Polyurethane has low viscosity and allows it to flow through even tiny cracks comfortably. After injecting this PU, it retains its flexibility while keeping the gaps sealed. So, this type of grouting is efficient in protecting the structure against most water damages at a low cost.
This is one of the waterproofing techniques used to prevent water intrusion through the voids and cracks in the concrete structure. This uses the expanding injected polyurethane in solving the leakage and seepage issues to a greater extent and is effective when applied on the lower side of the ceiling.
The first step is to drill a hole on the underside of the ceiling. Then using a high-pressure machine, the liquid polyurethane is injected through the hole. The pressure causes the polyurethane to ascend through the cracks, voids, and gaps slowly. When the polyurethane mixture comes into contact with water, it expands and successfully fills the holes with polymer foam-type PU grouting. This seals all the pathways through which the water enters and prevents water damages. It's also suitable for filling the gaps between the tiles. If the tiles skip the grouting method, then the dirt can get beneath them and damage the tiles or causes breakage due to misalignment and movement. This high-pressure PU injection grouting is highly recommended for active leak cases involving concrete slabs and is also used for all visible leaks and areas like drainage, piping, and ceilings.
1) Polyurethane is a versatile resin used for maintenance, coating, insulation, and emergency repairs.
2) PU injection repair comes with low construction cost, and after its application, it requires less or no maintenance.
3) PU injection has strong adhesiveness and is suitable for surfaces like roofs and balconies.
4) It is fast drying and can seal the small cracks effectively.
5) PU injections have been widely used because of their volume expansion and deformation when curing.
High-pressure injection grouting has become an essential one to construction and is practiced by most waterproofing contractors. For a practical application, the waterproofer should have relevant skills and experience in this field. So, hire the right waterproofing contractor to save the bills and the structure in the long run.