An industry expert has peer-reviewed Dincel’s Waterproof System Warranty, confirming Dincel Structural Walling has produced an effective way of waterproofing basement walls using its wall panels and accessories.
Conducted over six months, ACOR Consultants has reviewed in detail Dincel Structural Walling’s (Dincel) investigations and technical development of the Dincel Waterproof System and the associated warranty to determine the validity of the claims and the effectiveness of the system.
Inside Construction caught up with Steve Darwell, COO at Dincel and chairperson of the Permanent Formwork Industry Council to discuss the review’s findings and how the Waterproof System Warranty for basement walls can improve compliance and building outcomes in the construction industry.
One of the biggest issues impacting the built environment today, says Darwell, is building defects caused by the incorrect installation of materials.
In Australia, the costs associated with building defects is approximately $714 million per year for domestic buildings – according to the 2021 Building Confidence Report: A case for intervention prepared by The Centre for International Economics – while defects in commercial buildings account for a whopping $1.8 billion in costs per year. Defective installation of building materials is a major contributor to these figures.
“It can be difficult at times for product manufacturers to influence how things are being installed onsite, but we have stepped up to the challenge,” says Darwell. “We’ve trained over 800 installers through our academy in the last three years in order to make sure that we’ve got the right people, with the right skills, installing our product.”
Related stories:
Dincel has addressed a number of building aspects in order to improve the installed quality of its walling system. The company has introduced a range of products, such as its reinforcing steel spacers, to make sure that steel reinforcement for Dincel Structural Walling is placed in exactly the right position every time. Dincel has also instituted the use of self-compacting concrete (SCC) to ensure that there are no voids in the product when installed. The company is so sure of the fact that a Dincel Wall installed in accordance with its installation procedures and using SCC will have no voids, it offers a Void Free Warranty. What’s more, the company has employed several after sale installation specialists to inspect Dincel Structural Walling as it is being installed to ensure it’s being done correctly.
In terms of the Waterproof System Warranty, Dincel has approached build quality in a similar way. “Our waterproof warranty for basement walls requires that we actually take control of the build,” says Darwell.
“We oversee the installation of the system, and the panels can only be installed by one of our certified and duly qualified installation partners, ensuring that the build quality is exactly right.
“When installed correctly in basement walls, the Waterproof System Warranty prevents water penetration from the ground as well as dampness and deterioration of building elements – and prevents unhealthy or dangerous building conditions caused by mould or fungi.”
But Dincel didn’t want builders to simply take its word for it. As with all of its offerings, Dincel engaged an expert to peer-review its Waterproof System Warranty.
The results demonstrated that the Waterproof System Warranty, when installed in accordance with Dincel’s Construction Manual and with the requirements outlined in the warranty, meets the definitions of waterproof as specified by Dincel.
When it comes to introducing new building solutions, Darwell says peer-review is vital. “Without an expert peer-review, we’re just marking our own homework,” he says. “A qualified expert in an area will have seen far more issues and have a far deeper understanding of that particular area than a product manufacturer.”
“What we found during ACOR Consultants’ peer-review of the Waterproof System was that throughout the process, as issues were brought up, we were able to address them and hence improve our offering to the marketplace.”
But what does this mean for the construction industry?
Backed by these peer-reviewed findings, the Waterproof System Warranty can be beneficial to any build that has a basement, including detached homes, multi-residential buildings and buildings for the aged care, healthcare, education and commercial sectors. With many located under the water table, basements are prone to water ingress. Even for those not under the water table, heavy rain events can cause water to rise up against basement walls. With the environment changing and the planet warming, Darwell says the water tables are rising, making any basement currently below or near below the water table critical areas that require solid waterproofing.
“By applying the Waterproof System Warranty, we’re able to make sure that throughout the life of a project, water won’t ingress into either areas that don’t want to have water such as car parks, or habitable areas where you can’t have any sort of water or moisture,” says Darwell.
Dincel, along with building product manufacturer AFS, has formed the Permanent Formwork Industry Council (PFIC) in an effort to work towards better building outcomes for the industry and consumers through the application of consistent standards and education throughout the industry. Incorporated in 2022, PFIC is the peak body representing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) permanent formwork designers, installers, suppliers and manufacturers in Australia, focussed on ensuring that all involved in the industry, particularly regulators, understand the needs, requirements and capabilities of the PVC permanent formwork industry. The council is also about ensuring that there are standards within the industry to make sure that suppliers supply products that are fully compliant with the Building Code of Australia, and that they take responsibility for ensuring that the people that install their products are fully and appropriately qualified.
“Additionally, the PFIC was established to make sure that installers in the industry are also following the correct processes and programs in order to install the product in the right way,” says Darwell.
“PFIC is all about standards – to make sure that we constantly improve the standard of installed products in the marketplace.
“It’s about education – to let everyone in the supply chain – regulators, designers, certifiers and builders – understand what the capability of the product is.”
Dincel is championing improved installation quality not only through its own business, but across the building industry. The company believes and has proven with the recent peer-review of its Waterproof System Warranty, that installation quality is critical to the success of its own products, as well as every product in the market.
The post Peer-review validates Dincel’s Waterproof System Warranty appeared first on Inside Construction.