External Wall Sealing



When exterior walls are exposed to rainwater or high humidity, water and moisture can travel through the masonry and affect your internal walls. This means that your walls may stay damp for a long time before drying, which may lead to mould growth and irreparable damage. In humid areas like SE Queensland, wall damage due to water penetration isn’t a matter of IF, but a matter of WHEN.

Check walls for faults: Waterproofing external walls is the best solution only if the walls become damp as a result of rainwater or moisture. Before waterproofing the wall, it’s important to eliminate any other causes of structural dampness. It could be anything, from cracks in your bricks or condensation within the wall to a burst water pipe. Once you fix the issue, you can apply a membrane paint or a waterproof membrane as a preventative measure.

Check weepholes for defects: Weepholes are the gaps left between some bricks in external walls. Australian Standards require them because they serve two important purposes:

Ventilation of the internal wall cavity - Without ventilation, mildew, dry rot and damp reduce the life of the internal wall studs and other building materials within the cavity. Inadequate ventilation is the main cause of water ingress to external walls.

Drainage - Water that enters the cavity due to capillary action, condensation, damage, or accidental flooding needs to escape somewhere. In tropical and sub-tropical areas of Australia it is not unusual to see water flowing from the weep holes in walls on the prevailing side of well constructed brick houses after a heavy weather event.

Window Leaks: Most often window leaks during rain are the result of bad replacement window install or improper construction. It could also be a lack of overhangs or improperly angled fascia that drain water and protect against wind-driven rain. Or leaks could be the result of poor maintenance or missing caulking. We have methods of testing windows to find the cause of the leak for a suitable repair solution.

Leak Investigation: Our team has the experience and the right equipment to locate and solve water ingress issues. Thermal cameras and moisture readers can be used to track the leaks to the source, leaving the guess work out of the repair seal. Pic - The darker lines in the below thermal photo show water inside the walls after a water test.
Photo above shows the lengths taken to seal external walls from moisture ingress. We sealed multiple ingress points before applying a membrane paint over the entire wall.

Contact BPQ Construction for a quote or further information