How to seal a balcony and eliminate a leak. Balcony leaks after glazing - tips for fixing the problem How to seal the joint between the wall and the balcony slab

Taking into account the decree No. 491 of 13.08.2006, balconies, loggias, as well as load-bearing walls are the common property of residents apartment building... It is the owners who must keep the façade elements in good condition. It should be understood that the management company is responsible for servicing such facilities. As a result - safety and tightness balcony slab the top floor is the full responsibility of the management company. However, apartment owners do not always know about this, preferring to do it on their own. Also, the management company may refuse to hold such events, since they are not always included in the list of mandatory home maintenance services, and also on the basis of what kind of finishing and technical condition balcony designs only the owner of the given premises is responsible.

Causes of leaks through the balcony from above.

The reason for the leak from above is not always the poor condition of the balcony slab. Among the most common cases, experts note the following:

Not sealed seams at the junction of the balcony with the structures of the house.
Damage to roofing material.
Lack of specialized galvanized metal castings.

Also, leakage and dampness on the balcony appear due to construction flaws - the reverse slope of the upper balcony slab. In this case, due to precipitation, moisture accumulates on the slab, which destroys the structure and seeps through microcracks. Over time, the cracks grow larger, which significantly aggravates the situation. To fix it, you just need to level the surface of the stove so that moisture does not accumulate and leak onto your balcony.

Leaks are often caused by complex architectural elements on the balcony facade from above. They can cause the formation of excessive water flows in rainy weather, which seep through leaking joints. In this case, it will be necessary to seal and equip the balcony with an additional drainage system.

What to do if the balcony is flowing from above?

Minimize processes conducive to the accumulation of moisture on the balcony by ensuring proper drainage of water.
Provide the necessary tightness of the joints of the balcony structures with the elements of the house. Also using waterproofing materials leaks should be eliminated by eliminating the possibility of re-formation of moisture.

Sealing joints

Sealing joints – effective remedy combating balcony leaks, as well as an active preventive measure for such a phenomenon. The main material is a sealant, which must be selected correctly. When choosing a sealing compound, it is important to take into account that it will be actively influenced environment, which means that under its influence, the composition must retain its properties and characteristics. In addition, the sealant must be flexible and durable.

Among best representatives Balcony sealants are polyurethane-based compounds that perfectly retain their characteristics under the influence of moisture and sunlight. This compound can be used to seal the joints between the balcony and the facade of the house, as well as the joints of the roof with balcony structural elements. Roof sealing is best left to professional builders. The process will require the use of specialized equipment and equipment. All joint surfaces are thoroughly cleaned and processed and sealed with insulation with polyurethane foam. The sealant is placed directly on the foam. In turn, the insulation ensures the strength of the seam, the foam acts as a sealant and filler of the joint, and the sealant protects against moisture penetration.

Waterproofing of balcony and loggia structures.

The main stage of waterproofing the balcony is correct installation roofing waterproofing material and slopes. Depending on the materials used, there are several ways to waterproof the roof - based on bitumen, polymers or specialized mastic. It is not always advisable and correct to use roll materials, since during the operation of the room, the sheets of material settle, forming kinks and all kinds of channels through which moisture can flow into the room. Also, these materials can accumulate moisture, which can cause dampness and mold formation.

It is for this reason that professionals recommend coating-type waterproofing. In this case, mastic is used, which is used to cover the balcony slab and visor. You can even use one-component mastic, which does not require special knowledge and skills from the work performer.

Installation of a dependent or independent balcony roof

The absence of a roof on the balcony guarantees the appearance of leaks. In this case, you will need to arrange a visor or a more expensive and convenient glazing of the balcony.

The easiest option to implement is the installation of an independent canopy, which is made on a frame made of wood or metal with a roof arrangement of any appropriate materials - metal tiles, ondulin, profiled metal, etc. load-bearing wall. This kind the structure is easy to install, however, it is limited in size. A more complex and expensive option is a dependent roof, which provides for fastening to the wall, as well as the arrangement of vertical bearing racks with installation on a balcony slab. Such a scheme allows, immediately or in the future, to perform a full-fledged "cold" or "warm" glazing of the balcony.

A balcony is flowing in a new building

Problem leaks balconies are quite common even in new buildings. In this case, the procedure is slightly different. What to do if a balcony is leaking in a new building? In most cases, the home delivery by the developer is carried out in accordance with federal law No. 214-FZ. Wherein this law does not stipulate quality construction works, which brings us to the question "what to do if a balcony in a new house is leaking?" The answer lies in the same law, which provides for the need to comply with the quality of the work performed, the quality specified in the equity participation agreement. In addition, these works must comply with urban planning regulations and construction standards. As a result, if this moment was agreed in the DDU, but in fact the apartment does not meet the required quality, the developer is obliged to eliminate the shortcomings or compensate for the costs of the owner of the living space to eliminate the balcony leaks. Next, let's take a look at what needs to be done if a balcony is leaking in a new building:

Be sure to first familiarize yourself with the equity participation agreement. Pay special attention to the warranty period for the elimination of deficiencies by the developer. If the warranty is still valid, we can proceed to the next step. Following the law No. 214-FZ of 12/30/2004, namely Article 7, the developer undertakes to transfer the object to the shareholder in proper quality, which complies with the terms of the contract, town planning regulations, technical standards, project documentation etc. Otherwise, the owner of the apartment may present a claim to the developer in connection with the inadequate quality of the object during the warranty period established by the contract. Moreover, the warranty period cannot be less than 5 years.
It is important to correctly draw up an act of inspection of the object with the signature of a representative of the management company or HOA. The content of the document should include a thorough description of all identified deficiencies, possible reasons their manifestations, as well as the place of their detection. It is recommended to attach photographs of the identified deficiencies to the document.

It is necessary to prepare a claim against the developer. The content of the document must include the requirement to eliminate the identified deficiencies (balcony leaks) within a specified time frame. The complaint is accompanied by a drawn up and signed act of inspection of the premises.

Rules for filing a claim. First of all, carefully study the contract. As a rule, it contains information on the procedure for filing claims for the quality of construction work. The address where the claim must be sent may differ from the developer's registration address. In this case, it is advisable to additionally send a duplicate of the claim to the address of the construction company, addressed to the director. Documents must be sent by registered mail with a mandatory notification of receipt.

The content of the document should include a link to the number and date of the contract with the developer, as well as the address of the apartment where the deficiencies were identified. Be sure to voice the requirements, as well as the deadlines for eliminating the identified deficiencies within a reasonable framework. It is very important not to miss this moment, since in accordance with the law on the protection of consumer rights, a penalty of 3% of the cost of the service provided is provided for violation of the deadlines for eliminating deficiencies. In this case, 3% is calculated from the cost of repairing a leak on the balcony of a new building, if the price of this work is stipulated by the contract for the provision of services by the developer. If the cost is not determined - 3% is calculated from the total amount of the order. At the same time, if the case comes to court, the developer will be additionally charged a 50% fine of the total amount of the penalty in favor of the consumer of services.

It is imperative to indicate the contact information in the claim - mailing address, telephone number, etc.

The contractor (construction company) must eliminate all leaks on the balcony within the time period specified in the claim. In this case, it is necessary to agree on the arrival time of the brigade. It is important to monitor the progress of the work so that the contractor does not try to eliminate the leak with only one sealant in favor of economy. The work must be done with the replacement of the sealing elements. , glazing parts, etc. It is necessary to eliminate not only the leak, but also the cause of its occurrence.

In the worst case scenario, the developer may ignore your requirements, or leaks continue after the repair work has been completed. In this case, the developer needs to send a claim for compensation for a penalty upon the fact of a balcony leak. Registration of the document is drawn up in the same way as the claim with sending by registered mail to the same addresses.

You can also go to court, which is obliged to consider the case of forcing the developer to pay a forfeit, including for damaged property due to a leak (if there was such a fact), for violation of the deadlines for performing work to eliminate the leak, for non-payment of the penalty on a voluntary basis, as well as for causing moral harm. In this case, a professional examination with a documentary opinion may be required. It can be done as part of a court case or before a case is being considered in court. At the same time, all costs for this operation must be borne by the developer. Given the fact that the court is carried out under the law on the protection of consumer rights, you are exempted from paying state duty or receive a benefit. If the court decides to satisfy your claims, then the costs of your legal representative are also borne by the developer.

To file a statement of claim, you must attach copies of: an agreement for participation in shared construction, an act of acceptance and transfer of an object for use, inspection reports with photographs and signatures, claims for payment of a forfeit, documents confirming the sending of correspondence and its receipt by the developer, an examination report (if the moment the claim was filed), as well as a request for reimbursement of funds spent on a legal representative. Directly for the developer, you will need to prepare a statement of claim with all the accompanying documents.

Waterproofing a balcony or loggia is often fraught with certain problems, because it is very difficult to solve the problem of how to seal the cracks on the balcony and ensure tightness from the outside and from the inside, even for professional builders... Namely, these defects in the walls, floor and ceiling of the loggia or balcony bring high humidity, condensation, mold and mildew formation.

Typical balcony leak.

In the event that it is planned to carry out work on the thermal insulation of the room, then the sealing and waterproofing, the process of sealing the cracks, become even more relevant.

As for the open balcony, oddly enough at first glance, its waterproofing is absolutely necessary.

After all, it is constantly under severe operating conditions and therefore subject to destruction. Still, the implementation of a small amount of repair work is not as costly as further overhaul.

Principles of sealing gaps

Several factors must be taken into account here: the dimensions of the detected slots, the material from which the surfaces are made, the position of the slot (vertical, horizontal, diagonal). Decide how waterproofing will be done for a balcony or loggia, how it is more convenient to do it from the inside or outside. Of course, the most common solution to this problem is the use of traditional polyurethane foam.

Sometimes foam is enough.

When using it, you do not need any construction skills and abilities, and the work does not take much time and effort. If the slots are narrow and located in a vertical plane, then they can be easily sealed with polyurethane foam. In the event that the situation is more complicated, then the use of other materials and methods will be required.

Waterproofing and sealing in the presence of sufficiently wide gaps that are located between reinforced concrete surfaces, a load-bearing slab or a wall, especially from above, bring a lot of problems. Naturally, using only one construction foam this will not be a solution, because more complex and technologically advanced materials must be used.

If the gap is large, then you can use cement mortar to eliminate it completely.

When the gap is really wide, then it might make sense to call on specialists and loggias who can do the work from the inside or outside with modern equipment and suitable insulation materials at the proper level.

General scheme for sealing balconies and loggias.

The most common method of filling gaps is to use vapor barrier tape in combination with polyurethane foam: first we close the gap with insulating tape, which provides protection against moisture, but allows steam to pass through.

Due to the use of insulating tape, the foam will not go anywhere and will be fixed in one place, and it will also be well protected from atmospheric influences, which will significantly extend its service life. As soon as the polyurethane foam dries, it is necessary to apply another layer of insulating tape or any other similar material on the side of the balcony or loggia to be repaired.

Possible variant sealing.

If a balcony is flowing, then waterproofing the balcony with your own hands has another method - sealing a large gap with a galvanized metal sheet.

First of all, we carry out accurate measurements of the gap formed, after which we make marks on the galvanized sheet. It is necessary to add about 15-20 cm to the width. You can cut such a plug using metal scissors. The shape of the plug can be changed with a hammer. Fastening is carried out using dowels or self-tapping screws. All joints must be additionally foamed with polyurethane foam.

If the gap is located at the top of the balcony

In cases where, due to construction errors, the sealing is broken and the balcony leaks, a large gap has formed between the wall of the house and the supporting plate above the balcony from above, then water will probably penetrate through it during the rain.

This problem must be solved together with the neighbors living above, since some work will have to be done on their balcony.

The first step is to remove all dust and dirt, oil and wet spots from the gap. It is recommended to use a wire brush to thoroughly clean the gap.
To seal the gap itself, you can use a special waterproofing mastic composition, which today can be found in any hardware store. In addition, the seal can be carried out using conventional polyurethane foam. However, the first option looks like a more reliable and effective tool.
The mastic must be applied to the cleaned surface. The composition is applied with a spatula or brush. If it was decided to process the gap with foam, then it is recommended to additionally prime the surface before processing. It is better to fill the gap with foam from the top from the adjacent balcony. As soon as the foam completely hardens, it is necessary to remove the excess in order to provide the neighbors with a more or less flat floor, and for yourself the same ceiling.
At the end, the repair area must be covered with cement mortar and primed after it has solidified.

In cases where it is impossible to negotiate with neighbors for certain reasons (perhaps no one lives in the apartment), then it is recommended to use mastic compounds and roll insulating materials that will not allow moisture to penetrate into your balcony. It is very good if the roll can be mounted at an angle - in this case, the accumulated water will be diverted away from the balcony.

Sealing cracks in different materials

Crevices in new buildings and old houses can be formed as a result of various influences and mistakes of builders. All detected cracks must be repaired as quickly as possible in order to prevent their increase in size and deepening.

If you do not fight the leak, then everything can turn into the need for a major overhaul of the loggia or the impossibility of operating the balcony.

If there are cracks in concrete elements the construction of the balcony must first prepare the surface. You need to remove dirt, concrete chips, oil stains and other contaminants. Then you need to rinse the crack and dry. It is best to use a high-quality waterproofing material like bituminous mastic... The crack can then be closed with cement mortar.

If cracks were found on a wooden structural element, then the surface, as in the previous case, must first be prepared by cleaning it from dirt and dust, and also removing everything decorative coating(paint, varnish, etc.). Fill the crack wood element you can use ready putty, which is presented in a wide variety in stores.

Sealing mixture for wood plot you can do it yourself from PVA glue or epoxy resin and sawdust, but you can also use regular window putty.

The selected insulating material must be applied with a spatula to the problem area, after the material has dried, sand it and paint or varnish it. If a crack has been found on a plastic surface, it can be repaired with silicone sealant.

Almost any cracks that form on a modern and old loggia or balcony can be repaired with your own hands.

There are mixtures that dissolve in water and close the cracks through the capillaries.

At the same time, if there are a lot of cracks, and they pose a serious threat during the operation of the balcony room, then you need to do overhaul, which is very difficult to do on your own. In this case, it is necessary to contact the specialists of utilities or the management company, where they should send an expert to assess the condition of the balcony.

In some cases, when the balcony is flowing, all work is carried out free of charge (usually this applies to old houses or in the presence of obvious violations of construction technology).

The visor is the most unprotected part of the balcony. Rain and snow fall on it, and moisture seeps into all the small crevices. It appears in the cracks, the wind blows in them, the reinforcement is damaged by corrosion, and the holes gradually become larger. After a while, wet spots appear on the ceiling, with each heavy rain they become more and more, and this is a signal that repairs need to be done.

Troubles that may arise from a balcony leak

When a leak develops on the balcony, it becomes almost unusable. If in dry weather a leak reminds of itself only by traces left by water, then during rain or melting snow it is impossible to dry the laundry on it, the things stored on it get wet and become unusable. In addition, the finish suffers: first, yellow smudges appear on the ceiling and walls, then the surfaces are covered with dark mold, which is difficult to remove.

If you do not take any measures to eliminate the leak for some time, water through the joint between the slab and the wall will begin to flow into living room... On the ceiling and wall adjacent to the balcony, wet spots form during the rain, and after they dry, yellowness appears. In this case, repairs will have to be done not only on the balcony, but also in the apartment.

Why does the balcony flow

Usually, when building a house, balcony slabs (or rather, the joint between the wall of the house and the slab) are closed with waterproofing, therefore, in principle, there should be no leakage. It occurs if technological deviations are allowed in the waterproofing device, or the house old building and the service life of the waterproofing materials has come to an end.

A leak on the balcony can occur in three cases:

The apartment is on the top floor, and the roof over the balcony does not fit snugly against the wall. As a result, rain and melt water is poured into the balcony through the cracks;
The balcony on the floor above is not glazed, and the balcony slab on it needs repair;
The top plate is installed with a slope towards the wall of the house, which is why water accumulates on the balcony, leaks under waterproofing coating, and penetrates down through the concrete. This situation is rare, but when analyzing the cause of the course, you need to take it into account.

Another reason for the flooding of the balcony is the lack of drainage and insufficient sealing of the gaps between the glazing and the visor. Flowing down the visor, part of the water gets inside the balcony, and it floods the glass. This can happen when the length of the visor is insufficient, and its edge is located almost close to the glazing windows.

Whatever the cause of the leak, in order to solve the problem, you should first inspect the roof of the balcony, assess the extent of the malfunction, and then take measures to eliminate it.

What to do if the joint between the slab and the wall of the house leaks

It will not work to correct the situation by simply covering up the cracks in the ceiling, since it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the leak. Getting into the cracks from above, moisture will turn into ice, after several cycles of freezing and melting, the cracks will expand, and the water flow will again fall into the balcony. What action to take depends on which floor the apartment is on. If water comes from neighbors from above, the issue will have to be resolved with them, since renovation work should be carried out on their balcony.

When the apartment is on the top floor and water flows through the visor from reinforced concrete slab, the issue is resolved either on its own, or with the participation of a responsible organization (housing department, housing department and others).

In the houses of the old buildings, the so-called Khrushchevs, reinforced concrete canopies were not installed above the balconies of the upper floors. The owners of the apartments made them on their own from scrap materials along with the glazing of the balcony. Wobbly homemade construction It is the most common reason leaks, and to solve the problem it is necessary, and if it cannot be repaired, build a new one.

Repair of the balcony slab from the neighbors above

Since repairs are being made at the neighbors on the floor above, according to the logic of things, the owners of the balcony should deal with it. But if you are unlucky with your neighbors and they refuse to cover the costs, there are two ways out: contact the utilities or make repairs yourself. Consider the procedure for how to repair a balcony slab from above on your own.

Preparing the slab for repair

First of all, the old coating and the cracked screed are removed. All loose mortar is removed, and unstable pieces of concrete are knocked out. The joint between the slab and the wall of the house is well cleared, and the detected defects are sealed with cement mortar. If potholes and cracks remain on the surface, they should also be repaired and leveled. The surface of the slab should be flat, without sharp drops, so that the waterproofing layer placed on it does not deform and break.

Waterproofing device

About 20 years ago, roofing material was used to waterproof the balconies, which was glued to the melted resin. In a residential apartment, it is difficult to perform such manipulations with resin and roofing felt, therefore more modern methods can be applied.

Materials for waterproofing the balcony:

Bituminous-polymer coating (painting) mastic with rubber and rubber additives;
Polymer waterproofing based on synthetic rubber;
Plaster insulation;

Waterproofing is installed with a wall entry to a height of 15 cm and is distributed over the balcony at a minimum width of 50 cm from the wall. Any kind of material is applied in several layers, each 1 cm thick. Layers are applied alternately after the previous one has dried.

Screed on the balcony

When the waterproofing is in place, a cement screed is poured on top. Near the wall, a smooth rounding is made of mortar, which closes the waterproofing, and along the edge of the balcony slab, the screed layer is laid thinner. Thanks to this, a bevel is created from the wall of the house, and the water flows down freely without lingering on the stove.

If the balcony is on top floor, waterproofing is arranged on a reinforced concrete canopy. It is laid in the same order as on the balcony of the neighbors above.

Important. Since there is no fence on the visor, all work is carried out with insurance. You may need to hire industrial mountaineering builders.

Balcony sealing

In addition to external work, it is important to carry out internal sealing of the balcony. Unlike waterproofing, this is an operation to seal joints and joints between the glazing and the wall of the house, the balcony slab and the canopy. The easiest way to seal up the joints is to cover them with polyurethane foam. After swelling and hardening, excess foam is cut off with a construction knife and putty. Puttying is a must, as the foam darkens and decomposes under the influence of air and sunlight. The joint of a home-made visor over the balcony near the wall of the house is subjected to a particularly thorough sealing.

If water flows in from the side of the glazing frames, a system of gutters is arranged that will drain water from the frames. First, ebb tides are installed along the perimeter of the upper balcony slab or visor, and round gutters are mounted under them. Ebb tides are also installed with outside under window frames and along the edge of the balcony slab of your balcony.

A small video on the sealing and installation of the balcony ebb from the outside:

From the author: I am glad to welcome you again, my dear readers. I hasten to tell you that sealing a loggia is a process that you can do on your own, without the help of professionals. All that will be required is to use our advice and flawlessly fulfill all the requirements that I will now set.

For many, it remains a secret how important it is to seal the balcony before carrying out any work. Many people think that insulation by itself will do a great job, and do not think that cold air that gets into the cavities between it and the wall will not play a big role.

I have to upset you by saying that it is not. Styrofoam, expanded polystyrene and protect your living space from negative temperatures, but not from the air currents, which can easily break through this fragile fortress wall.

Some visitors to our site miss this moment when working and send us letters stating that our methods do not work, although I have spoken in every article devoted to such processes about the importance of this step.

Now I will tell you in more detail how to seal the balcony, protecting it from unwanted cold penetration. Let's start!

How to find cracks and crevices

The first thing you need to do is locate all the points where air enters. Now you can say that they will be visible anyway, but, alas, no. In addition to visible gaps and cracks, flaws can be in the floor or wall seams, at the joints ceiling tiles and in other invisible places. Now I will tell you a few life hacks that will solve this problem.

Many years of experience have shown that there are a huge number of ways to help find places that need to be repaired. There are special devices that determine them, but I recommend using the old one. grandfather's method, which has never let me down.

This secret was told to me by my father when we first worked with him at a facility that needed to be protected from air ingress. To do this, you will need an ordinary sheet of paper and a ladder. I think that your actions are predicted independently, and it makes no sense to describe them once again. The only thing I want to suggest is that you should not check only the angles and interpanel seams... You need to walk with a leaf over the entire area of the balcony or loggia to make sure of the quality of the check.

There is one more way, but it is expensive - checking with light. To do this, you need opaque curtains or black film, which needs to cover all sources of external light, creating absolute darkness on the tested area. In sunny weather, cracks and crevices will show themselves.

The second method may seem a little crazy, but believe me - it is effective and has been repeatedly done in practice.

What materials to use

The second step is choosing a sealant. For this, two materials are often used:

construction foam;
silicone sealant.

You'll need both for a job well done, so take your time choosing. Why both? Each of them will perform work with certain openings, since these tools have different technical properties.

Construction foam tends to expand, so it is used when filling larger holes. These can be formed due to two factors:

mechanical impact. Your balcony can be damaged by worsening weather conditions such as hail or strong wind... The wind itself will not affect the surface in any way, but the nearby trees can very much;
destructive processes. In this paragraph, I mean all kinds of corrosive processes, which are predetermined by the fact that nothing lasts forever, and each product has its own shelf life and operation.

Silicone mixtures should be used when working with joints of ceiling tiles, seams on and butt openings. Simply put, anything less than three centimeters wide lends itself to this material. You can also turn to thiokol or acrylic analogs, but I do not advise, because the material I have chosen has the most best indicator"price quality".

If you want to waterproof a balcony or loggia from the outside of the building facade, then you will need polymer-based substances. It can be mastic or other penetrating compounds.

How to seal seams

You need to start, as always, with a general cleaning. Weed, dust, pieces concrete screed that break off may affect the result. Do not be lazy and notice the entire area several times, and vacuum the seams on the balcony. It won't take you more than two hours, so do it carefully.

Let's move on to the sealing process itself. It is not difficult and does not require special knowledge and skills. If you think that this is not necessary, I can assure you that he will not live even five years. The ingress of moisture will lead to its complete destruction.

If you only want to insulate outside, it must be remembered that working at height requires a completely different approach, and it is quite possible that it is better to seek the help of professionals. Understand that no amount of money is worth your health, and the lack of proper equipment can lead to dire consequences. The services of a person who will do everything in one day will not ruin you, and you will be calm knowing that everything will be done efficiently and without threats to human life.

All you need for work is a special pistol. If you have never used it, you can see how to do it correctly in the video below:

Little secret: in addition, you can use rubber seals... They are sold in any hardware store, and they are very often used for soundproofing entrance and interior doors, as well as for noise insulation of domestically produced cars.

If you are the lucky owner wooden structures- do not try to use polyurethane foam! Wood is a material that lends itself to deformation an order of magnitude easier than concrete plates... If you overdo it with foam, you can damage the entire balcony, and you will have to dismantle the coating, which will take away valuable time and hard-earned money from you.

How to be with a visor

If the roof of your balcony is made of metal, slate or other sheet cover, but nevertheless allows moisture and air to pass through, then the problem is definitely in the correct installation. Most likely, improper flooring has led to the formation of gaps between the sheets, which can be filled with sealant. This will fix the problem.

Provided that the roof is flat, you will have to try. The cheapest method is roofing felt, but you should not do everything yourself if you do not know the basic principles and have never worked with gas burners or other heating devices.

Let's take it step by step:

Remove all debris that might interfere with the proper procedure, and do not bring unnecessary items with you. Everything is only the most necessary.
Clean problem areas so that the surface is as flat as possible. In the event that you want to make a slope or achieve a filigree plane, you can make an installation OSB boards... Roofing material will perfectly take on them.
Seal all visible cracks with construction foam. This will increase the coefficient useful action your work.
Dry the surface of the visor, carefully checking every inch for moisture. Agree that there is no point in sealing a roof that already has water in it.
The next step is to apply the mastic. I do not recommend smearing the entire roof area at once. Better to do it gradually.
Installation of the roofing material itself will not do without a heating mechanism. Most often used gas-burners... I do not welcome this, but, alas, there will be no other unit at hand. The entire roofing material should be heated evenly, and pressed with a wet cloth, because the dry one will stick to the hot surface.

I would like to pay special attention to safety precautions when working with fire. Be sure to take a fire extinguisher with you, and preferably two, as one, believe my experience, may not work. Check it for filler and air and make sure the mechanism is working properly. And also - do not forget that you are far not at a height of two meters from the ground, so be careful when approaching the edge. Secure the work area under the balcony with a signal tape, if possible, put a person underneath.

I do not advise doing all of the above on your own, because you will spend a lot of energy, and it will be very unlikely to be convenient. It is best to ask for help from a person who has previously done this. This will make sure you don't make mistakes.

The soonest completion of the repair to you, friends!

The need for waterproofing arises when rainwater and snow freely penetrate on open balcony or a loggia or numb from above from the neighbors. The lack of waterproofing can lead to destruction, erosion of the base of the floor or ceiling, strong leaks lead to the formation of cracks in the ceilings, not to mention the fact that the property located on the balcony or loggia suffers. If you are faced with similar problems, this article will help you understand why the balcony is leaking, tell you what to do if a leak appears and teach you how to waterproof the balcony yourself.

Waterproofing, where to start?

The first step is to choose a waterproofing option and prepare the surface accordingly.

Waterproofing options

Depending on the material used, there are two main options for carrying out waterproofing of the balcony with your own hands - painting (mastic) and roll (pasting).

Painting waterproofing means protecting the surface from water by applying special moisture-repellent mastics to it. It is distinguished by its simplicity.

For waterproofing loggias from the inside, penetrating and coating mastics are used. Penetrating formulations are usually produced in powder form, which consists of quartz sand, cement and chemically active additives. The mixture is diluted with water and applied with a painting tool or spray. Such mastics are used for loggias and balconies with concrete bases.

Lubricating waterproofing is used when working with brick, polyurethane or stone surfaces. According to the composition, the coating mastics can be bitumen-rubber, bitumen-cement or polymer-cement.

Application of bitumen-rubber mastic

Talking about roll waterproofing , it is worth noting that technologically it is more complex and difficult to implement without certain skills and tools. This option for waterproofing a balcony from the inside involves the use of roll materials that are laid on the surface and glued to it by fusing or applying adhesives to the surface.

Rolled waterproofing surfacing

Roll materials are also produced that already have an adhesive base. Such, for example, as penofol. It will provide not only waterproofing, but also an excellent vapor barrier for the balcony due to the double-sided metallized coating. Among the materials to be welded, applicable as waterproofing on loggias and balconies, one can distinguish hydroisol, hydrostekloizol, armobitel and filisol.

Preparatory work

In order for the waterproofing of the loggia with your own hands to become as effective as possible, it is necessary to thoroughly clean its surfaces. And as for the floor of the loggia itself, it is advisable to perform leveling on it cement screed... This work should be done after cleaning the substrate, but before waterproofing.

When cleaning the floor of the loggia, the casing is initially dismantled. Then the base is inspected for the presence of bare reinforcement, cracks and rotten, worn out areas. Found metal parts are thoroughly cleaned from rust and processed protective compounds... Cracks and weak areas of the base are sewn up for subsequent filling with a screed. At the last stage, dust and debris from the floor surface and from all its recesses are swept out with a stiff brush. Next, a leveling cement screed is performed.

Such an operation will do both roll and paint waterproofing the floor on the balcony or loggia is more effective. Roll materials will adhere more tightly to the surface, and the mastic will provide excellent adhesion to the base.

Ceiling waterproofing

The public service will undertake the restoration of its integrity only if it recognizes structural element emergency, and the neighbors are unlikely to be imbued with the seriousness of the problem and will take up the waterproofing of the floor of their balcony or loggia. That's why the best way out from the situation will carry out waterproofing of the balcony ceiling from the inside. This procedure is also relevant when insulating a loggia or balcony, and it is carried out before sheathing the ceiling with an insulating material.

Ceiling in need of waterproofing

The instructions below describe the sequence of actions for waterproofing the ceiling of a balcony or loggia from the inside using penetrating mastic:

Removing the ceiling cladding and cleaning the slab from residues finishing materials, paint, glue, cement.
Thorough moistening of the balcony or loggia ceiling with water. The most convenient way to do this is with a spray gun and a paint roller.
Application of the first layer of mastic. To do this, use a brush with synthetic bristles or a spray bottle. If a brush is used, then its movements are directed along the balcony slab.
Application of the second layer of mastic with brush movements directed across the balcony slab. Typically, when waterproofing with penetrating compounds, the second layer is applied after 2-3 hours after covering with the first layer. It is enough for the mastic to set slightly. Before applying the second layer of waterproofing, the ceiling of the loggia or balcony must also be moistened abundantly.
Keeping the ceiling moist for 1-3 days after waterproofing.

This theoretical knowledge will help you independently waterproof the ceiling of a balcony or loggia, but it will not hurt to watch a video in this case, which demonstrates an example of using penetrating waterproofing.

A little about sealing balconies and loggias

As a rule, the need to seal balconies or loggias appears due to the occurrence of various kinds of leaks. The reasons why the balcony is flowing can be very different. Here are the most common ones:

the leak was formed due to the cracks in the glazing;
water flows through the gap between the balcony slab and the wall;
the leak is the result of poor adhesion of the glazing of the loggia to the wall;
water flows from neighbors at the end of the floor slab through the gap between the visor and the ceiling of the balcony.

For the first case, when the leak occurs due to poor quality or aged plastic glazing, there is a tried and tested way to fix the leak. It is necessary to use seals, popularly called flashing strips. They are mounted on the frame from the windward side, are widespread and are available in various modifications.

Cover strip for plastic glazing

How to cover up the cracks on the balcony or loggia in other cases? For sealing wide recesses, it is best to use polyurethane foam... And to eliminate small gaps, silicone sealant is suitable.

The gap between the glazing and the wall, requiring sealing

Sealing a balcony or loggia using sealant is carried out as follows:

First of all, the surface is cleaned of glue, old paint and other contaminants. Then it is wiped off with a damp cloth. It is important not to apply detergents, since the sealant does not adhere to them.
The next step is to ensure that the cavity to be sealed is dry to ensure good anchorage sealant.
The next step is to make a sealing seam. After applying the sealant, the seam is smoothed out with a wooden or plastic spatula soaked in soapy water. To prevent excess sealant from sticking to the surface, the walls along the joint can be sprayed with the same soapy water and removed after drying.

So simple affordable way sealing will eliminate small leaks easily and without the help of specialists.