Scope:

Using industrial abseil methods our rope access waterproofing team were able to inspect, report and provide a solution for the residents at this building in Hamilton’s CBD.

The body corporate at this building in Hamilton was facing the challenge of a leaking gutter membrane. It is located around the top perimeter of the building. The gutter membrane had been exposed to years of weathering subsequently causing lichen build up, various defects and failed repairs. Therefore causing the gutter to leak water and damage the coating below.

The gutter is located at the bottom of a pitched roof on the ninth floor. As a result, making traditional access methods very difficult. When notified the residents were having issues with the gutter, we were able to quickly access the exterior of the building. We provided a detailed report noting defects and offering the best solution.

Access:

Conventional methods of access for work in this location would have required large overhanging scaffolds. Accessing the work area in this way would have been high in cost, risk and disruption to the residents. By using rope access we were able to set up quickly. We required a minimal amount of equipment and could Abseil to the work location easily. This solution caused no disruption to the residents while reducing the number of people working at height over the length of the project. This provided huge cost savings for the body corporate.

Our method:

Completing similar projects in Auckland and Tauranga our team was able to set up and make progress quickly.

Our first step was to completely clean the gutter by removing large amounts of moss and mould build-up. We then were able to repair holes, defects and damages. After that, we recoated the entire gutter with a liquid membrane waterproofing solution. This coating system re-sealed the gutter, therefore, stopping any further leaks below.

In conclusion, the abseilers at Connect were happy to deliver this project. Going from what would have been a major cost for the body corporate and simplifying it down to an easily manageable and cost-effective solution. This left all involved with a win.