Superior Exterior issue 1

Issue #: 01 September November 201 5

DON'T BE SEDUCEDBY 50 SHADES

OF GREY

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUTWATER, WILL HURT YOU (AND YOUR POCKET)

YOUR BALCONYIS LEAKING

AGAIN?

LESSON 101: HOW TO APPLY PAINT!SAGE REASONS TO HP CLEAN!

WATER! Do you think of a refreshing, coldglass on a hot day, a warm bath, the soundof the ocean or rain? Or do you think ofinexplicable leaks, drips and stains on theceiling?

Water is an enigma. It is both simple andcomplex. Firstly, it is essential for life andmakes up about 80 percent of the weight ofall living things. The oceans and theatomosphere are practically one, makingup about 70 percent of the earth, constantlyexchanging heat, water, gases, andcontrolling the climate, the wind and waves.

Unfortunately, it can also be a frustrating

enemy. Our ongoing battle with theencroaching damp is made that muchmore difficult by the fact that few of us reallyunderstand how water actually works in thefirst instance.

If you've experienced curling up in a warmsleeping bag in a cozy tent, then no doubtyou have also experienced waking up inthat same tent to find every surface moistand your sleeping bag soaked despite theentire structure of the tent being watertight.Logically, we all know that this is caused bycondensation. A warm body will, over thecourse of a night, heat the damp air inside atent to the point where droplets will form on

Editor: Craig Martin

Tel : 021 001 SEAL (7325)

Email : [email protected]

Website: http: //superseal.co.za.

It is Superseal's mission that this newsletter willserve to be the sectional title and homeowners'association's trusted provider of education,information, and news as it applies towaterproofing and painting. It is our goal toexplain how to select the right solutions, whetherthat involves the best product, manufacturer orapplicator, at the best value for money.

This edition is based on general

information that is accurate at the time of

going to press and should not be

considered legal or sitespecific advice.

SUPERIOR EXTERIOR: Issue 01: September - November 2015 2

EDITORS NOTE: Our unique proposition

Article by Samantha Booyens from Superseal Waterproofing & Painting: Consulting Division

Many businesses in our industry createnewsletters that proudly highlight past andpresent projects that serve to stroke theegos of company Directors and are used asa tool for the company's sales staff.

Then there are those painting and designmagazines which are openly produced byone product manufacturer, such as PlasconSpaces, and others are supported by twoprimary advertisers who cleverly try to guiseadvertorials as editorials. Then the thirdcategory of magazine seems to deal morewith interior decoration, colour coding,paint techniques and the like.

We aim to distance ourselves from theplethora of home decor publications andfocus our newsletter solely on exteriorwaterproofing and coating; particularly as itapplies to sectional title and homeowners'association complexes, as well as industrialand commerical properties (such as

factories, warehouses or shoppingcentres).

Yes, there is an article on colour, but it isnot a frivolous discussion around interiorcolours, but rather highlights the pro's andcon's of following the currrent trend ofpainting your building grey.

We would like to teach and to that end wethink that you will definitely learn somethingvaluable from our feature article, "What YouDon't Know About Water, Will Hurt You (andyour pocket)!" as well as our lesson onapplying paint. Paint application is nolonger limited to brushes and rollers andairless high-pressure painting has a realplace in the industry.

We trust that managing agents will findour articles on dealing with balconies insectional title schemes when redecoratingto be invaluable as well as why you shouldconsider high-pressure cleaning your roof.

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUTWATER, WILL HURT YOU (AND YOUR POCKET)

the colder outer walls. There are no leaks,no holes, no rain that sneakily found its wayin. Yet, when it comes to waterproofing, weoften seem to forget this concept. At the firstsign of a spotted ceiling, damp or mould,our first reaction is to search for the elusivecause of the leak. Somewhere, there mustbe water finding its way in.

A drop of water can contain billions andbillions of molecules, which each compriseof just three atoms, namely two hydrogenand one of oxygen.

The shape of the water molecule is alsoone of the things that makes water sospecial. The two hydrogen atoms stick tothe oxygen atom like the ears on a teddybear, so the molecule is lopsided. Thismakes each water molecule act like a tinymagnet, with its negative pole down by the

oxygen atom and its positive pole uparound the hydrogen atoms. The shape ofthe water molecule also affects the way itfreezes, so that frozen water requires morespace than liquid water—meaning that icefloats.

As Craig Martin of Superseal points out,"Water appears to run backwards; it canbead up on a smooth surface and oftenseems to defy gravity. The reason is that

because it has the hydrogen molecules atopposite poles, it can be magnetised. Thisgives water a high degree of surfacetension and causes it to behave like noother liquid. So you will often see waterbeads travelling backwards on guttering orthe inside of a roof to eventually meet withthe facia boards, or worse still, with yourwalls.”

All materials undergo phase transitionsbetween the basic states of matter — solid,liquid and gas. At these transitions, amaterial's properties can changesignificantly and suddenly. Water is nodifferent. "What people fail to appreciate isthat if water pools in an area exposed todirect sunlight, it doesn't take long for it tochange state from a liquid to a gas. Thewater was there, now two days later, thewater is gone! Most people actually say, it

has evaporated, but that is onlypartly true," says Craig Martin.

When the water begins toheat, it reaches the hottest pointat the bottom of a puddle, andthat liquid turns to gas. If thatgas can escape through thegaps in the fibres of themembrane, it will choose thatas its first point of call. Then

later in the evening, when the cool night aircomes, condensation occurs and thattrapped gas becomes water droplets,trapped beneath the membrane, where theoriginal crack was, allowing further ingress.

Jako Myburgh from Superseal Contractingsays, "Most other contractors climb ontothe roof to stick on some more rag ormembrane, thinking that is the solution,whereas it is actually contributing to the

SUPERIOR EXTERIOR: Issue 01: September - November 2015 3© 201 5 Superseal Waterproofing and Painting (Pty) Ltd. All materials is considered to be copyrighted to Superseal and may not be reproduced in part or in whole without permission.

. . . .THIS ARTICLE IS CONTINUED ON PAGE 1 0

In recent years you may have noticed thecolour grey dominating our skyline, not onlyas a result of the moody Capetonianweather of late, but also because every newhighrise seems to have been painted one oranother shade of grey. This reflects agrowing trend which sees exteriors beingpainted anything from slate to charcoal, atrend which could end up saving, or costing,you money – depending on what you know.

The colour grey offers a myriad of benefits,some aesthetic and some more practical.As an exterior shade it has the potential tomake a structure seem bold and imposing,though it could just as easily be used in asofter shade to give a warmer, more invitingfacade. Don't be fooled however intothinking that this is the only reason thecolour has seen such a resurgence inpopularity.

As a paint colour, grey has the ability tomask a multitude of sins and offer almostabsolute coverage in a single coat. Thismeans that contractors are often keen torecommend it for a large project, such as animposing beachfront highrise, as it savessignificant costs. Scaffolding is erected forless time or rope access work time isreduced and material costs are reduced asonly one coat need be applied. The issuewhich may arise is when these savings arenot passed along to the consumer. Anunscrupulous contractors may have youbelieving grey is the shade of the seasonwithout being upfront about the real reasonthey are so eager for you to embrace thetrend and you may well find yourselfseverely shortchanged. On the other hand,armed with the right information, a bit ofsavvy negotiating and the right contractor,you could end up saving substantially onyour next project.

One final word of caution: you may beable to save money now, but if you decideat a later stage to go back to a lighter colourafter applying a dark grey or charcoal, youmay find thatfuture redeco-rating costingyou a bit moreto cover overthe darkercolour.

It is true that in certain contexts grey canbe dull and boring, but consider the colourof a dynamic and respected technologycompany's logo; namely Apple. Once mutli-coloured, it is now grey. Grey as a colour isvery calming, peaceful, balanced andsoothing and it can convey the message ofprofessionalism and trust.

Whether for stylistic or financial reasons, itsclear that there has never been a better timeto go grey, but going grey might just not beright for your, or your building.

Superseal Consulting is here to assist withsite visits to examine the architecture andstyling of your building, its position, and inthe case of a business, your potentialmarket. Based on those factors, we wouldbe able to advise you on an appropriatecolour choice.

DON'T BE SEDUCED BY50 SHADES OF GREY



When it comes to sectional title living, acommon area of dispute seems to be theissue of balconies. Is it mine? Is it myresponsibility? Its on the outside of theproperty, surely it should fall to the BodyCorporate to maintain my balcony? In thisarticle we look at this “grey area” in depthand attempt to clear up some of theconfusion surrounding it.

Let's say you find a blossoming watermarkon the ceiling, coming from the balconyabove you. Who should you approach, andmore importantly, who is going to foot thebill for the repairs? Your first thought willmost likely be that it is the responsibility ofthe Body Corporate to maintain the outsideof the building and so also the balconies,but this is in fact rarely the case. More oftenthan not, balconies form part of the sectionfrom which access to them is obtained, soyou most likely own your balcony, and thatwatermark, just as with any room whichmakes up part of your section. In this caseyou would be responsible for undertakingrepairs to the ceiling of your balcony andany cost involved. It should be noted,however, that this is a double-sided coinand that the owner of the section aboveyours would similarly be responsible forrepairing their failed waterproofing and theresulting damage above the median line. Itwould be a good idea to approach thehigher owner and compel them to see totheir repairs before undertaking any of yourown, in order to prevent the failedwaterproofing from undoing your repairwork. It is worth noting that in this case, ifyou could prove that the damage to yourceiling was as a direct result of the ownerabove you failing to adequately maintainhis waterproofing, you would be entitledunder the law of delict to reclaim thereasonable cost of repairs to your ceilingfrom the owner of the above balcony.There are a few exceptions to this rule, and

it is worth contacting your Body Corporateto establish exactly where the balconies fallin terms of your particular scheme. Thesituation above is one where all balconiesin the scheme form part of their respectivesection and are therefore not theresponsibility of the body corporate.

Another situation you may find yourself inis one where the balconies form part of thecommon property of the scheme, but eachowner is inferred exclusive use rights totheir own balcony. In this case, the fact thatthe balconies form part of the commonproperty means that it is the responsibility ofthe Body Corporate to maintain them andundertake any repairs, but the fact that theowner has exclusive use rights means thatthe financial responsibility will still fall to theowner, so the Body Corporate is likely toundertake any repairs and then recover thereasonable cost of doing so from theowner.

In rare cases the balconies in a schememay fall under the common propertywithout being subject to any exclusive userights whatsoever, in which case repairs


YOUR BALCONY IS LEAKING AGAIN?

© 201 5 Superseal Waterproofing and Painting (Pty) Ltd. All materials is considered to be copyrighted to Superseal and may not be reproduced in part or in whole without permission.

should be undertaken by the BodyCorporate and funded from the levies.

Many of the waterproofing problemsexperienced on balconies can be furthercomplicated by the fact that the issues mayhave been as a result of poor constructionwhen the sectional title scheme wasoriginally developed. Some examples of thismay be guttering (which is normally theresponsibility of the Body Corporate) fallingonto the sections' balconies, porous tiling orgrouting on the balconies which allowswater ingress or pooling of water due topoor levelling. However, this still doesn'tmean that the responsibility automaticallyreverts back to the Body Corporate; everypurchaser into the scheme would have hadthe opportunity to inspect for latent or

patent defects. Presumably if there is anyrecourse to commonly known issues, suchas those mentioned above, they would thenlie with either the original developer or theseller (previous owner) if non-disclosurecan be proved.

At Superseal we understand howfrustrating it can be to deal with repairswhen it is unclear exactly whoseresponsibility they should be in the firstplace. That is why we will gladly inspectyour water damage, at no cost to you andwith no obligation, and establish the cause.In these complicated situations you can relyon Superseal to provide sound advice andsuperior service.

Here at Superseal, we know how dauntinga new project can seem and we arecommitted to providing you with all of theinformation you need to make an informeddecision when choosing a new contractor.Firstly, let's have a look at a few of the main

methods of applicationwhen it comes to paint.

There are at least adozen different ways toapply paint or to coatsomething and eachone is uniquely suitedto a particular job,

depending on the substrate, the coatingand the thickness required. Eachapplication method has its strengths andweaknesses and it is important that you askyour contractor which method they use andwhy.

Traditional ApplicationTraditional painting methods involving

brushes and rollers can leave ridges, brushstrokes, uneven application and sometimeseven hairs and other fibres. These methodsare also time consuming and labourintensive. At Superseal, we certainly

recognise that there is a place fortraditional brush-and-roller application,however, you would hardly considerrepainting your car with a brush and roller.New spray technology allows for yourvertical walls to be coated as smoothly asyou might coat a car.

Low Pressure AirsprayThis method of application involves an

airspray gun which is intended forhousehold use and can be purchased atmost hardware stores. It produces airpressure of 30 – 85 psi in order to atomizepaint into a fine spray. Generally, thismethod produces a smoother finish and ismuch faster than painting by hand (unless alot of masking is required for the job).Unfortunately, airspraying can produce a lotof overspray (the paint which misses theintended target), and preparation and clean-up take more time.

Another variation of low pressure airsprayis High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP)airspray, which involves sprayguns that usea higher volume of air, but only 10 psi. Thismethod reduces overspray and increasestransfer efficiency over standard low


LESSON 101: HOW TO APPLY PAINT!Article by Craig Martin from Superseal Waterproofing & Painting: Consulting Division

pressure airspray. It is portable and easy toclean and has a lower risk of blowback tothe worker, but the atomization may not begood enough for fine finishes as a result ofthe low air pressure.

Another drawback to these methods ofapplication is that the product suppliersoften recommend that their product bethinned down by 7 – 10% by adding water(or thinners in the case of solvents). Thisaffects the volume-to-solids ratio of theoriginal product and can compromise thequality of the paint. At Superseal, we rarelyrecommend this method of application.

High Pressure Airless SprayThis method utilises paint which itself is

under high pressure (500 – 7500 psi or 50 –750 bar), rather than paint which ispropelled by pressurised air. Airlessspraying has several distinct advantagesover traditional air spray: it is twice as fast,produces a higher film build, is moreportable, cuts overspray by more than half,and is cleaner and more economical.Airless spray is limited, however, to paintinglarge areas and requires a different nozzleto change spray patterns. The nozzles tendto clog and cleaning the nozzle can behazardous as a result of the very highpressures involved.

At Superseal Contracting Division, we havea number of high pressure airless spraymachines, the two main types beingdiaphragm and piston-driven machines.Diaphragm machines are generallyrecommended for roof or floor areas wherethe length of the hose need not exceed 25 –30 meters, while the piston drivenmachines (some of which can propel paintup to 200 meters) are ideal for coating oilrigs, water tankers or high, hard-to-reachareas where lugging a bucket of paint is justnot practical. At Superseal, we have rope-access trained technicians who are able tospray walls using this technology in afraction of the time that it would ordinarilytake if done by hand rollers.

Electrostatic SprayingThe biggest distinction between electro-

static spraying and airspraying is that theelectrostatic gun has an electrode at thenozzle. The object to be painted isgrounded and the electrode, which runs60,000 volts through the paint at 225microamperes, charges the paint which isthen attracted to the grounded object. Thisrequires less pressure, produces littleoverspray, and uses relatively little paint.Electrostatic guns are good for paintingoddly-shaped objects and produce auniform coat because the paint itself acts asan insulator; once an area of the object iscovered, it can take no more paint andcannot be covered again. Thedisadvantages with this method are thatonly one coat is possible, only conductivematerials can be painted, it’s moreexpensive, slower, has higher maintenancecosts, is limited to chargeable paints, andthe surface of the object must be extremelyclean. Electrocution is another possibleconcern when employing this method asthe gun itself is highly charged.

Many complexes have meters of metalgates and pallisade fencing. This would bethe ideal technology to recoat theseperimeter walls, but in practise it is just tooexpensive to practically implement.

Other Methods

Other, less common methods ofapplication include powder coating, rotaryatomisation, dip and curtain coating, rollcoating and electro- and autodeposition.Powder coating is very similar toelectrostatic spraying, but involves theapplication of powdered, rather than liquid,paint which is then hardened in a kiln. Thismeans that little to no pollution is producedas no solvents are used and the overspraycan be reused, however, the paint powderis sometimes passed through a plasmastream or a flame, and the resultingoverspray from these methods cannot bereused. The equipment needed for thismethod is expensive, meaning that powdercoating is generally only viable for larger




businesses and done in an industrial settingas opposed to site application. Rotaryatomisation uses centrifugal force, ratherthan air pressure, to propel paint from thenozzle, resulting in superior transferefficiency. Dip and curtain coating aremethods with very high production rates,but low quality finishes and involve theobject being either dipped into, or passedunder a waterfall of paint, respectively. Rollcoating is most often seen in largeproduction lines and involves the transfer ofpaint via automated rolllers to flat objects.With electrodeposition, an object is dipped

in paint and then has a current applied to itwhich permanently adheres the paint.Autodeposition is similar, but involves theuse of organic paints and no electricity.Both methods are limited in the types ofmaterials which can be coated and are verycostly.

It is good to know that painting with abrush and roller is not the only option andvery often, for large areas, airless high-pressure spray technology is a far moreefficient option.

SAGE REASONS TO HP CLEAN!There are a number of reasons for high-

pressure (HP) cleaning and maintaining aroof, or even paving, that most of us aren'taware of, or don't consider when faced withthe prospect of shelling out cash forsomething we see as neither important norurgent. These reasons range from aestheticto practical, monetary and even healthconcerns. A clean roof or paving may seemlike an unjustifiable extravagance duringthese tough times, but a small initialinvestment and a bit of upkeep willundoubtedly end up saving you thousandsof rands and much headache over thelifespan of your roofing and paving.

The most obvious reason for HP cleaningis cosmetic. Unsightly dark stains detractfrom a home's appearance and can make aproperty more difficult to sell. Often timessimply cleaning a roof or paving can make

all the difference when it comes toimpressing a buyer and can be achieved ata fraction of the cost of repainting. This isequally true in the case of rental propertiesand makes HP cleaning an essential tool formanaging agents and estate agents.

Another very good reason to have your roofprofessionally cleaned is one which may notoccur to most of us. Dark stains on a roofwill attract heat, turning your house into anoven which takes more energy to cool insummer, thereby pushing up your airconditioning bill. Businesses especially willbenefit from the lower energy consumptionresulting from a clean roof.

Now, the reasons above are undoubtedlyvalid, but they fail to address a very real


issue, namely that most of usdon't even know what thosestains on our roofs actually are.More than likely, they are notmerely patches of dirt or waterstains, but actual livingorganisms. Most of thediscolouration on a roof iscaused by the growth of moss,algae and mould. Theseorganisms are alive and they aregrowing. They feed on your rooftiles, erode waterproofing andcause significant amounts of damage.These fungal infestations usually begin witha layer of algae establishing itself on theside of the roof which sees the least directsunlight. Once a layer of algae hasestablished itself on a roof it creates theperfect environment for more sinisterorganisms, such as fungi and mould, tothrive. These fungal colonies feed on rooftiles, turning hairline cracks into full blownleaks as they grow.

Looking at the illustration above of a treewhich has managed to grow in a crackedrock, you can see how something similarcould be occurring on your roof. The treeoriginally germinated in a tiny fissure in therock and over time has grown and split thatfissure into a large crack. Mould and fungibehave much the same way, taking hold ina hairline fracture on a roof tile and forcingthat fissure into a crack as they grow.Fungal infestations also block up water

channels in tile overlaps, causing furtherleaks, and these leaks then cause rot andwater damage.

"We have personally witnessed instanceswhere an entire cement floor surface hascracked from a small hairline root folicleand have heard of structural damage beingcaused to a bridge all from a singlemushroom growth," says Jako Myburgh.

You can probably appreciate why a cleanroof and paving is an essential part of themaintenance of any property, but thedetrimental effects of a fungal infestationare not only financial; their spores are oftenharmful to us and find their way from ourroof and into our home where they causeasthma and respiratory infections. Childrenand elderly residents are particularlysusceptible, but the health risks posed byfungi and mould on a roof are real andshould not be ignored.

Now that you have a better understandingof the true value of a clean roof, you may betempted to take it upon yourself to reach forthe ladder, hosepipe and bleach, but wehere at Superseal are here to assist you byoffering a professional hydroblast cleaningservice, using up to 250 bar of pressure andno harmful chemicals, at an extremelyaffordable rate. These are industrial strengthhydroblasters and deliver pressure at twicethe strength of your standard high-pressurecleaner.


problem. I have often pulled off sheets ofmembrane and found water sitting underthe membrane on the roof. We just pull offthe failed application and coat the roof withthe proper solution."

It could cost you dearly if you do notunderstand how water molecules behaveand that water has magnetic properties, or

if you fail to understand that water has tokeep moving and that it cannot be allowedto pool. It could cost you dearly if you do notfully grasp how water's ability to changestate allows it to penetrate surfaces that youthought were impenetrable or howcondensation can cause droplets, dampand moisture in a room. What you do notknow about water, will hurt your pocket, asthere are many contractors out there whowill gladly take your money to put abandaid on an open crack.

Superseal's Contracting Division will gladlyassist you by quoting your complex on anoverall solution to aid in preventing futureroof leaks, this will include removing allfailed applications and implementing awaterproofing coating solution that willmake your roofing look like it has just beenerected.

You can call Craig or Jako for a free onsiteassessment on 021 001 SEAL (7325) or sendan email to [email protected].

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT WATER, WILL HURT YOU (AND YOUR POCKET)


CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3. . . .

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Superior Exterior issue 1