Flat Roof Flood Testing

This has largely been superseded by electronic testing as a means of establishing the waterproofing integrity of a roof or other installation.

Flat roof flood testing.

A membrane integrity test conducted by temporarily plugging or otherwise closing any drains and erecting temporary dams where required to retain water on the surface of a waterproofing membrane and then flooding the surface to a maximum depth of 2 inches at the. Flood testing is the oldest simplest and basic method of testing a roofs integrity. When the area to be tested has a slope greater than 1 4 per foot the depth of the water needed to test that area increases dramatically. Leak detection using flood testing.

This testing method eliminates the dangers and potential damage that can be caused by traditional flood testing and even pinhole leaks that aren t visible to the naked eye can be pinpointed. Flood testing will not provide useful information about the quality of the roof design or installation nor about the durability of the materials used. Flood testing to detect leaks and verify the quality of newly installed assemblies has a long history in the roofing industry. Manufacturers should specify a minimum time period for materials to cure prior to performing flood test however no testing should be performed during the first 24 h following installation of system materials 48 h min if materials are installed at a time when ambient temperatures are below 10 c 50 f.

It can still be useful however where finishes are in place and electronic testing is impractical. It may if the depth of water is sufficient indicate whether there is a breach in the membrane but it will not confirm the overall ability of the roof to provide satisfactory service. Difficulties with flood testing are the time required to fill test and then drain the sometimes tens of thousands of gallons of water required to properly test an area. Our roofing engineers can carry out flood testing on large and small surfaces so whether you want us to check a house office shopping centre or football stadium for roof or.

Per foot i e. Electronic leak detection is also widely used to provide the client with peace of mind that the installed flat roof is fit for purpose and has a.