The Waterproofing Experts
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With longstanding experience over several decades, Danrae Group has provided superior waterproofing for sectors including civil, construction, strata and government. And we’ve completed projects for several Sydney and NSW hospitals including RPA, Concord, Campbelltown, Camden, Bowral and Marrickville.
Like every sector, hospitals can have very particular requirements. When we completed waterproofing repair work for St Vincent’s Hospital Clinic for instance, we found a few challenges… including one we hadn’t quite expected.
Here’s what we discovered, how we helped and what the outcome was for staff, patients and visitors at one of Sydney’s biggest hospitals.
The waterproofing issue
St Vincent’s Hospital Clinic contacted Danrae Group with a leaking roof – in a key location.
Staff discovered water seeping in over the MRI theatre, which is home to highly sensitive, specialised and expensive technology.
The Medical Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines are very large and powerful pieces of equipment that provide three dimensional detailed anatomical images for diagnostic and interventional radiology services.
As Ron Caruana, Danrae Group Founder and Project Manager, explains, “It’s a critical area. We had to fix the issue with minimal impact on patients and staff and fix it as fast as possible to protect the equipment. We also had to consider noise, given it’s a public space and there are offices nearby.”
Setting the scene
In addition to the noise and time constraints, there was another issue Danrae Group hadn’t quite anticipated. The roof of the hospital, the team discovered, had a rock garden. Before an inspection of the roof could even occur, the team had to remove all stones.
“The job involved a lot of coordination,” explains Ron. “The stones were much larger than pebbles. Some were up to 300 mm in diameter. We had to get a crane company in to remove all of them, then liaise with air conditioning installers as there were several air conditioning units on the roof that needed to be removed to gain proper access.”
The project also had safety issues. “The MRI equipment releases carbon dioxide,” Ron says.
“And there is a restricted area on the roof that houses exhaust pipes that can potentially release toxic gases. We had to outfit the team with breathing apparatus in order to complete the work.”
A thorough fix
With a clear site, the Danrae Group team was able to conduct a full inspection, prepare the roof and lay a quality and long-lasting PVC membrane. Danrae Group then organised for the air conditioning installers to replace the units and test them to ensure they were functioning correctly.
The noise and safety issues meant the job did take longer than some other waterproofing jobs, but the results were outstanding. As Ron explains, “We laid a light grey membrane, which will help with temperature control. And the site is now much easier to maintain. Logistically, it was a nightmare to inspect, previously.”
As a final step in the Danrae Group process, we organised for an independent inspection and the usual brand warranty inspection, to ensure all work is of premium standard.
Given this had been an ongoing issue for the hospital, staff and management were very happy.
Winning ways with Danrae Group
Danrae Group provides a range of services including diagnostics, solution design, remediation – and preventative maintenance.
We will be inspecting St Vincent’s roof area once a year to clean up any build-up of leaves or rubbish and do any repairs. Whilst we use only quality products, external factors such as wild weather may impact the waterproofing. So, preventative maintenance is a proactive approach to avoid larger and costlier repairs that would be needed if problems are left undiscovered until further down the track.
Danrae Group really does know waterproofing inside and out, so if you need a permanent and quality waterproofing solution, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Read more about our waterproofing experts.
