Allied Construction Services protects your building from water infiltration. We protect your commercial real estate, from the basement to the roof. Keep reading to find out more about our services.
Basements are challenging to waterproof because of extremely limited access to exterior walls and slabs below ground.
Negative Side Waterproofing – Treating inside walls and floors is preferred because of lower cost and faster application due to accessibility. There are two types of negative-side waterproofing materials.
- Penetrating Liquid Acrylic waterproofing materials seal voids and capillary openings where water seeps through. These liquid acrylic waterproofing products have expanding polymer or crystalline additives that will grow into gaps.
- Cementitious Surface Coatings add a secondary cement-based barrier to inside walls. Cementitious waterproof coatings typically combine cement and a polymer and can be used on any concrete surface, above or below ground. The coating adds a hard but flexible water barrier.
Positive Side and Blind Side Waterproofing – Waterproofing outside exterior walls (positive side) and under the slab (blind side) are more difficult and required drilling through concrete.
ACS waterproofing specialists use chemical grout injections to get into these hard-to-reach places. Chemical grouting stabilizes soil around the building with polyurethane.
Waterproofing Your Roof
ACS offers a variety of roof coatings. Choosing the right material keeps your building cooler, reduces energy consumption, protects the building from leaks, and extends the life of the roof itself.
Our Favorite Roof Coating Options
Acrylic
Acrylic coatings can be used on various roof membrane surfaces, including single-ply membranes and metal systems. The flexibility of acrylic-based materials enabled them to withstand movement in roof membrane surfaces. Acrylic roof coatings resist damaging ultraviolet radiation and reflect infrared light to reduce roof temperatures.
Silicone
Silicone roof coatings are very weather resistant and rarely become hard or brittle. The material can withstand long-term exposure to ponding water and offer excellent ultraviolet protection. Also, they stand up well in extreme temperatures and harsh environments.
Polyurethane
Polyurethane coatings were developed for application over foam roofs but can now be used over a variety of existing roof membranes. ACS waterproofing specialist may recommend a polyurethane roof coating if your roof gets lots of foot traffic because it stands up best to that kind of stress.
Exterior Walls and Expansion Joints
Above: We provided extensive waterproofing on this San Francisco office building.
Stucco and concrete walls require coatings that are durable, flexible, tough, and breathable. Our professional staff will recommend the best waterproofing material for your building and help prevent bubbling paint, concrete cracks, and delamination in exterior walls. Cement or general exterior acrylic paint does not provide the envelope of waterproofing needed. The right waterproofing, professionally installed, will safeguard the outer envelope of your commercial property from humidity, precipitation, extreme temperatures, and sunlight.
Exterior waterproofing materials include the cementitious and acrylic surface coatings described above for interior use, but we might recommend several other materials.
Thermoplastic is more expensive than other materials, but is one of the strongest waterproofing materials on the market and last up to 50 years.
PVC membrane material is a common roofing product made from polyvinylchloride. While it is used most often in roofing, it may also protect your building walls.
Concrete expansion joints separate concrete slabs or sections in a building. Without expansion joints, concrete would crack. To keep water from getting into the joints, builders caulk the joints. Caulking deterioration leads to water infiltration and structural damage to the reinforcing steel and connector plates.
Windows
Above: Window of Cedar Hills Offices in San Francisco shows corrosion that is beginning to cause streaking on exterior paint. Cracking in window is also visible.
Windows are sealed and caulked when contractors install them, but sealants and caulking break down over time. When windows are initially installed, neoprene window gaskets provide waterproofing where the glass meets the outside metal window frames.
Over time these gaskets degrade, shrink and rot. Any caulking added inside or out of the building also degrades. Once that happens, leaks around windows damage walls and floors and cause mold, water stains, pooling water, peeling paint, and loss in energy efficiency.
ACS can diagnose the problem and recommend either new caulking and gaskets or new windows. Flashings may also be to blame for water leaks, and we may replace those, too.
Our team will:
- Remove and replace expired window caulking,
- Remove and replace failing window gaskets,
- Or recommend window replacements.
There are two types of balconies: enclosed balconies and open balconies.
Waterproofing an enclosed balcony mainly involves caulking and sealing doors and windows. In addition, we will apply a waterproof coating on the balcony wall and floor.
For the open balcony, the doors and windows must be waterproofed. A poorly designed floor drain may need attention, too. We will evaluate the state of the existing flooring for the balcony and check for flashing damage, concrete cracks, and joint damage. After replacing or repairing any damaged materials, we can recommend new waterproofing. We usually prep and prime the existing coating and apply a multi-layer waterproofing over the existing deck. We also may recommend a knockdown, non-slip textured finish coating for balconies.
Patio and Decks
Above: An ACS worker applies acrylic coating to the Top of the Mounds, a San Mateo apartment patio.
Concrete decks or patios have all the waterproofing challenges that balconies and parking decks do, including high foot traffic. We address concrete cracks, flashing, drain, and joint problems. While decks today are often made from treated or manmade materials, the joists and support posts maybe construction grade lumber and subject to rot. We have solutions for that.
We can apply sealant to your deck or patio but we also offer a variety of other patio and deck waterproofing services customized to meet your needs.
- Ceramic or stone on a waterproof base
- Heat-welded PVC or Hypalon works well for floating wood decking.
- Acrylic coating with your choice of cosmetic finishes
- Polyurethane coating over a concrete patio
Parking Structures
Above: ACS waterproofed this parking structure with a concrete deck coating in Oakland.
Parking decks consist of concrete over a metal support system. Expansion joints or spacers permit sections of concrete to move with temperature changes. Even with regular maintenance, temperature changes, traffic, and corrosives like oil, salt, and deicers erode waterproofing and damage the structure.
Our experts can remove and replace spacers, replace any damaged or missing concrete, and apply incredibly tough sealants to withstand rigorous wear and tear.
Got a leak? We’ll fix it.
ACS has been doing this over 20 years. We’re your guys.
What you can expect from us:
- Professional service
- Upfront, honest pricing without hidden fees
- Respect and courtesy showed to you and your property
- Uniformed technicians arriving on time
- Quality workmanship you can rely on
Don’t Delay. Call Us Today at (925) 724-2324.