ASTM 5957 Waterproofing Test for Leaking Decks in Las Vegas
Does your walk-on deck system leak when it rains? If so then you’re in luck. We can not lonely locate the leak, but provide useful information for the contractor or builder to make the necessary repairs to ensure the deck will no longer leak.
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D5957 provides a recommended technique to evaluate the water-resistance capability of watertight systems that have been attached to horizontal surfaces. The slope of the installation must not be larger than 20 mm, which is equivalent to fourteen inches per foot.
What Types of Systems like Deck leaks Can We Test With the ASTM 5957 Standard?
It is possible that this evaluation would be applicable to membranes that are applied with liquid (fluid), sheet membranes that are fully bonded (adhered), and/or any loose placed blanket membranes of waterproofing that are installed as follows:
Testing Waterproof Decking Systems
(Please take note that this test is not designed to be used on roofing systems that are installed in homes or commercial buildings)
The ASM 5957 flood Test Standard Explained
Typically, this test is only carried out after all the waterproofing membranes and flashings have been subjected to a thorough inspection by Design Professionals, which includes Licensed Architects and/or Engineers. Repairs are required to be made to any faults discovered by such certified inspectors before testing may begin. Prior to the installation of any additional layers, testing is typically performed when only the membranes that waterproof the area are exposed. This occurs before any other waterproofing layers are also added.
Before any water can be disseminated, a comprehensive containment assembly needs to be erected. This assembly needs to be nondestructive and simple to dismantle when testing has been successfully completed.
Keeping The Water Under Control During the Las Vegas Deck Leak Flood Test
A seal, also known as tape, is typically used to adhere plastic sheeting to the outermost layer of the waterproofing membrane. This type of seal is typically constructed of plastic. There is typically an overflow system built in, and if it is required, it is located five inches above the low point on the test surface. This is done to ensure that the structural capacity of the substrate is not exceeded. Before testing can begin, a qualified engineer with structural expertise must review the entire process.
Monitoring the Loss of Water During The Flood Test
The monitoring of any loss is accomplished through the employment of tape labeling (in increments of 1/8 inch) or through the utilization of different instrumentation methods of measurement that involve the utilization of scale, and this is done in a minimum of two (2) locations.
The area in question gets saturated with water to obtain an initial cover of one inch, but must not exceed the maximum depth of water of four inches at its lowest point. This is done once all of the necessary safeguards and examinations have been carried out. After that, the water level is maintained in such a way that it does not go beyond an absolute minimum of two inches beneath the outermost portion of any flashing system.
How Long Will the ASTM 5957 Flood Test and Observation Last?
The duration of the test ranges from a minimum of twenty-four hours to a maximum of seventy-two hours. There should be no precipitation that is anticipated to take place. It is imperative that any water that is discovered to be leaking out throughout the course of the test be quickly drained from the area that is being tested.
It is believed that this method and procedure of testing is complete if there is no evidence of water leaking during the duration of time that was indicated earlier. There is a possibility that extra forensic examination, which is not included in the limits of this test technique, will be necessary in the event that the items or systems exhibit water leakage. Construction workers and design specialists will typically examine, remediate, and retest any leakage that has been discovered after it has been discovered.
These are the five most important locations of the deck that are susceptible to water penetration.
- Access to the deck waterproofing through the railing connector
- Flashing from the deck to the wall
- Covering or a membrane that is waterproof
- Drains that are situated on the deck
- Walls enclosed by parapets that surround the deck
