{"id":9445,"date":"2025-12-10T09:21:52","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T08:21:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.siphoniker.at\/?p=9445"},"modified":"2026-03-02T16:06:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T15:06:19","slug":"the-critical-1-that-cause-90-of-water-damage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.siphoniker.at\/en\/the-critical-1-that-cause-90-of-water-damage\/","title":{"rendered":"The Critical 1% That Cause 90% of Water Damage"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Water is the greatest enemy of a building\u2019s structure. Around half of all structural damage can be attributed to the effects of moisture. Particularly at risk are the 1% of waterproofing areas involving transitions, penetrations and connection details \u2013 especially pipe penetrations. <\/strong>This technical article explains the fundamentals of structural waterproofing in accordance with \u00d6NORM B 3692, describes typical damage mechanisms and shows how modern solutions such as the HL800 series and HL804H enable safe, standard-compliant and plannable sealing of pipe penetrations today.<\/strong><\/p>

Why waterproofing determines the success of a building<\/strong><\/h3>

Water is omnipresent in construction and at the same time one of the most common causes of structural damage. Up to 50% of all defects in buildings can be directly or indirectly attributed to moisture (Source: derStandard Bauschadesbericht)<\/a>. What makes this particularly insidious is that in many cases moisture penetrates the structure unnoticed and only becomes visible much later.<\/p>

For planners, contractors, installers and building owners, this means that waterproofing is not merely a peripheral detail but a central component of building protection.<\/p>

The most sensitive areas are those where different building components and trades meet \u2013 connections, transitions, joints and in particular pipe penetrations. They make up only a small proportion of the sealing surface, yet cause the majority of damage and therefore also the highest refurbishment costs.<\/p>

Careful and systematic detail planning is therefore essential to prevent moisture from entering the structure in the first place.<\/p>

What types of damage occur and why?<\/strong><\/h3>

Moisture-related damage generally occurs in two ways. One is acute water ingress, for example due to flooding, backflow, water under hydrostatic pressure or pipe defects. Such damage is immediately visible and comparatively easy to identify.<\/p>

Far more insidious is gradual moisture ingress. Capillary migration of moisture along pipes, moisture penetration into floor structures, mould growth or corrosion often develop unnoticed over long periods of time and cause considerable consequential damage.<\/p>

How severely a building is affected depends largely on the construction method. Timber and lightweight constructions are particularly sensitive, masonry transports water by capillary action and even reinforced concrete can be damaged by corrosion of the reinforcement. Even watertight concrete remains vulnerable, particularly at connections and penetrations.<\/p>

If the waterproofing system fails, renovation is usually complex. Components must be exposed, dried and reconstructed by several trades. The cost of renovation often far exceeds that of carefully planned waterproofing at an early stage.<\/p>

The best refurbishment is the one that never becomes necessary.<\/p>

Welche Bereiche eines Geb\u00e4udes m\u00fcssen abgedichtet werden?<\/strong><\/h3>

A building has numerous potential weak points through which water can enter:<\/p>