The issue of waterproofing the roof has to be dealt with care and one must ensure that the right products are being used in the right manner

In any construction, the longevity of the building depends to a great extent on the waterproofing of the roof. One should bear in mind that the roof accounts for 30 per cent of the structure’s surface, so it pays to have it correctly waterproofed to keep the rest of the structure safe from damage due to water seepage. If a new roof is waterproofed correctly, it will increase the life of the structure, thus be a great convenience to the residents and also add to the reputation of the builder.

The issue of waterproofing the roof has to be dealt with care and one must ensure that the right products are being used in the right manner. Conventionally, the concrete roof slab is covered with Brickbat coba (BBC), Mud phuska, China mosaic, tiles or screed to provide a slope to drain rain water. While most believe that this waterproofs, with time this top layer cracks, allowing ingress of water into the roof slab. This leads to leakage and corrosion of the steel, thereby weakening the roof slab and causing dampness inside the house.

Waterproofing that lasts
To give longevity to your roof and ensure that the waterproofing lasts atleast twice as long as conventional methods, Dr Fixit has developed waterproof coatings which create an impervious barrier between the concrete slab and the layer above. Dr. Fixit Waterproof coatings being elastic in nature can withstand temperature variations and can bridge micro-cracks thus preventing ingress of water.

The advantages of these new roof waterproofing products are many, including faster application and less labour intensive. In fact, when it comes to ease of application, nothing can beat the spray applied waterproofing products like the Dr. Fixit Blueseal, which is 5 times faster application than that of brickbat coba and offers 3 times more life expectancy. Moreover it is without joints, making it a strong and seamless barrier against water seepage. Dr Fixit Roofseal is another excellent brush applied product that is recommended for new roofs. It should be directly applied on the concrete slab and it creates an impermeable layer under the conventional system like Brickbat coba (BBC),Mud phuska and China mosaic. 
Another heavy duty cementitious waterproof coating for new roofs is the Dr. Fixit Roofseal Flex. It is a two component product, consisting of a powder component and polymer. The slurry thus formed by mixing the two, is applied on new roofs and it forms a seamless, highly elastic, non-toxic waterproofing layer on the roof with a life expectancy of 7 years.

For flat roofs, Dr Fixit also recommends Dr. Fixit Torchshield, which is an APP based polyester reinforced membrane, which is an easy-to-lay, torch-on membrane with a system life expectancy of more than 5 years.

Such products have been researched and designed especially for the Indian climatic conditions by Dr Fixit. In fact, Dr Fixit has also come up with a product called the Dr. Fixit Newcoat Coool that not only waterproofs the roof but also insulates it, thus keeping the building cool during the hot days. In fact, it can reduce the building surface temperature by 8 C!

Thus, roofs waterproofed with these modern systems are less labour intensive and therefore are quick. These waterproofing systems, are flexible enough to accommodate the movements in the surface and bridge the cracks that appear over a period of time. They can thus last for a minimum of 7 years without need of repairs.

Hence, as one can see, no matter what the roofing style or requirements may be, Dr Fixit has a waterproofing solution for all of them. Dr Fixit not only has the best products for every surface area, but also provides guidance from professional consultants on right application methods and detailing. When you work with the best, you get the best!  

(Inputs by Dr Sanjay Bahadur, Global CEO, Construction Chemical Division, Pidilite Industries)