Why your balcony needs grout and sealer maintenance to stop your waterproofing membrane failing?

Failing waterproofing membrane is the most common cause of balcony leaks. And the lack of proper and regular grout and sealer maintenance is the most common underlying cause. The membrane creates a barrier against water and there are many areas where it can fail, including wall upturns, balustrade, drains, and anywhere water can enter. Any leaks, if left undetected or unfixed, can cause bigger leaks, result in significant damage and costly repairs. 

Even when waterproofing accounts for a tiny percentage of building costs, balconies are the biggest reason for waterproofing failures. So, no matter how your balconies were constructed from the preparation stage, you should ensure periodic and even proactive grout and sealer maintenance to stop or prevent the membrane from failing.

Causes of Balcony Leaks

Your balcony is exposed to the elements and different types of weather conditions, unlike most other structures in your home. This means that its integrity is always at risk. This makes it even more important to regularly check and maintain it. Some of the common causes of the leaks can include the following:

• Tile movement and breakage
• Hollow sounding tiles
• Porous grout or deteriorated grout
• Waterproof membrane failure, due to the use of inferior products or over time
• Poor drainage or lack of drainage
• Lack of perimeter seals or deterioration
• Pooling due to rainwater and breakdown of membranes

How to Tell Your Balcony has a Leaking Problem?

It is best to identify the signs of a leakage early on and correcting them at the onset. This can help save thousands in expensive repairs later. Regular checks and maintenance are a must-have on your balconies. Some of the common signs that there is leakage in your balcony are as follows:

• Grout shows signs of cracks or is missing
• Tiles have cracks or are loose
• Water stains are present on the interior or exterior finishes of the balcony
• Split or peeling paint on the balcony can be a sign of damage caused by a leak
• Efflorescence salt on the grout lines
• Difficulty in opening or closing doors and windows

When the underlying cause is missing grout or cracks in the grout, water can penetrate under the tiles and potentially damage the waterproofing membrane. Loose tiles or cracks in tiles are almost always a sign that your balcony has a leakage issue. Such tiles can create a hollow sound when someone steps on them. The cracks allow water to penetrate and build up under the tiles and gradually damage the waterproof membrane. 

If you notice the presence of white crusting on grout lines, it is a sign that water is pooling under that area of the tiles. 

Professional Grout & Sealer Maintenance

The best way to stop the waterproof membrane from failing is to call us, the professional experts, for regularly checking and repairing any damages to the grout and sealer in your balcony. We will check the balcony to identify the issues and recommend the types of repairs required to fix the underlying causes. We provide a comprehensive repair and epoxy re-grouting service to fix your leaking balcony. We can also recommend a makeover of your balcony without having to remove tile.

For more information about our services, you can call Budget Seal at 1300 907 104. You may also send us your detailed queries of request for more information using our Online Form. We will respond to your message at the earliest.