Understanding Cavity Membrane Systems and Their Functionality

Water is one of the most powerful forces on Earth, it carves canyons through stone, and a tidal wave can wipe out a whole city. It’s always trying to find its way into our homes, and when it does, it can cause untold damage to the structure and even to our physical health! Despite its great power, water is subject to an even greater force called gravity. Water travels downward, which is why waterproofing for basements is always so important, it’s the first place to look for a liquid invasion!

There are a variety of methods that can be employed to stop water from entering below-ground rooms, such as interior basement sealing, but today we will focus on a different approach, a way of controlling the water and where it flows called a cavity membrane system. This clever solution diverts the water entering the structure, then collects and manages it so it can be removed safely without causing any harm.

So, how exactly does a cavity drain system work? There are three main components that form the system:

Cavity Drain Membrane – This sturdy membrane is made of high-density polyethene with stud-shaped protrusions that work to form a cavity between the membrane and the structure’s walls and floor. This creates depressurisation voids that can divert all of the water penetrating the structure into drainage channels.

Drainage Channels – The drainage channels are pathways for water to flow through designated outlets. They are installed at the base of the wall or above structural weak points like construction joints. The drainage channels form voids that collect the water from the cavity drain membrane and divert it out of the structure.

Sump and Pump System – There are some structures that won’t allow the water to flow out by gravity alone. In this case, the collected water is channelled into a sump housing a dual water pumping system that sends the water out and safely away from the structure.

There are several benefits that a cavity membrane drain system can provide:

An Effective Solution – The cavity drain system is a highly effective solution for cellar waterproofing, it efficiently manages any water that enters the structure and sends it away, reliably ensuring you can maintain your underground spaces as habitable dry rooms.

Simple Surface Preparation – Traditional tanking systems must have the site undergo extensive surface preparations in order to be installed, whereas very little surface preparation is required to install cavity drain systems. This simplicity greatly reduces installation time and cost because the building’s structure remains undisturbed.

Relieves Structural Stress – The cavity drain system isn’t tasked with resisting ground water pressure that can potentially put stress on, and damage the structure, a risk that tanking systems run due to the increased hydrostatic pressure they face.

If you are facing the destructive force of water in your home or commercial building, you can schedule a free basement damp assessment to study the problem and come up with solutions. Just call Damp Proofing Ltd on 020 7593 8030 during office hours or fill in the online form and we will send our experts out to help you keep your underground spaces nice and dry!