Did you know that concretebreathes?
And, not only does it breathe, but its breathing can create massive problems for your industrial or commercial flooring if it’s not understood andcontrolled.
As with almost every aspect of facility management and maintenance, the key is it be educated and aware of the potential risks and your options for practical solutions. With that said, let’s dive into acloser look at moisture transmission, its causes, and your options for eliminating aproblem before it has achance to bubble to thesurface.
At Kaloutas’s industrial flooring division, we’re big fans of working smarter and skipping headaches whenever possible, and we’re guessing you aretoo.
An Inconvenient Truth — How and Why Dangerous Moisture Levels Occur in Your ConcreteSlab
Behind almost every great flooring failure is amoisture issue. It’s true. An excess of moisture is the #1 contributor to floor system breakdowns.
How does ithappen?
Well, as we mentioned above, concrete breathes. It may feel solid but it’s actually porous, and riddled with capillaries. The naturally-occurring moisture in the ground (thanks to the presence of groundwater) seeps its way up through the microscopic network of passages in your concrete, and eventually will make its presence known on thesurface.
Your concrete is also made with water, of course; it’s aprimary ingredient. In fact, builders will often add even more water than is necessary to make it easier to work with. Once it’s poured, it doesn’t fully dry out for years — roughly one year per inch of thickness, to be more specific. This means that in addition to groundwater working its way up, you also have amoisture-laden flooring surface slowly releasing water vapor foryears.
Concrete needs to breathe; it’s the nature of the beast. The key is found in controlling thatbreathing.
How Do You Know If You Have aMoisture Problem In Your ConcreteSlab?
Here are afew warning signs to watchfor:
- Blisters on aseamless epoxyfloor
- Delamination oftiles
- Stains on bareconcrete
- Testing! We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have your slab tested for elevated moisture levels with aconcrete moisture test, even if there are no immediate signs of an issue (whywait?)
Another red flag is aconcrete slab that was poured prior to the year 2000. Vapor barriers became more of an industry standard at the turn of the millennium, but older buildings likely will not have any sort of barrier in place. This is important to keep inmind!
Can You Install aVapor Barrier for an Older ConcreteSlab?
Absolutely! It’s not toolate.
A qualified, expert flooring professional can determine and install the right moisture mitigation system for your facility. These systems will slow or completely inhibit the vapor transmission, and recent advances have made them more effective than everbefore.
Can You Have aMoisture Issue Even If You Do Have aVapor Barrier?
Not all vapor mitigation systems are created equal, and neither is the quality of the installation. And, as we mentioned above, newer concrete floors are continuing to dispel the excess of moisture that is trapped within the substrate during the mixing and pouringprocess.
To compound the issue, most modern industrial facilities are well sealed and have some sort of HVAC system to keep the air flowing and control the interior temperature, like air conditioning. This is where that pesky science gets in the way once again… As your AC runs, it dehumidies the environment, and, in so doing, the vapor pressure within the concrete begins to fluctuate. The two naturally-occurring forces then try to equalize (the vapor pressure in the floor and the air pressure in the environment).
Why does thismatter?
Well, as the pressures try to equalize themselves, even more vapor is drawn from the slab. In short, amoisture issue can be created despite having awell-sealed, modern facility with alike-new concrete floor and cutting-edge HVACsystem.
Whether your property is brand new or acentury old, moisture still finds away inside through yourfloor.
What Is MoistureMitigation?
Moisture mitigation takes place in an industrial or commercial setting to reduce the risk of decay and allergens in afacility. By doing so, you enhance the safety and health of your people and the longevity of yourbuilding.
Moisture mitigation can be implemented by thefollowing:
Maintaining caulking throughout yourbuilding
Maintaining floor coatings — Epoxy, cementitious coatings,etc.
Maintenance planning for cleaning andrepairs
Regular interior and exterior painting andrepainting
Moisture testing and the use of dehumidifiers and airpurifiers
The Tangible Value of aMoisture MitigationSystem
As we mentioned above, we’re big believers in getting ahead of aproblem before it really ruins your day (or maintenance budget). The very best move you can make is to proactively identify the moisture levels in your slab, and ensure that amitigation system is in place that will effectively regulate just how much moisture is making its waythrough.
Aligning yourself with atrustworthy and reputable industrial flooring expert is essential. They can help guide you through the process and thoroughly understand the solutions available toyou.
Kaloutas is New England’s premier contractor for commercial &industrial painting, flooring, and related services. Established in 1987, Kaloutas has become atrusted resource for general contractors, facilities managers, and building owners from Connecticut to Maine. Our team prides itself on high quality workmanship, jobs done on time &budget, and tackling complex projects that other contractors don’t have the experience or resources to handle. Contact us today for apainting or flooring estimate, or give us acall at 978−532−1414 to learnmore.