Rain, snow, or hail can ruin just about everything if waterproofing is not used. Over the centuries people tried various methods to prevent this problem. Among others they used lanolin from wool and wax. These materials washed out or fell off. On boats, tar or pitch was used, but this too did not work well. Over the years many different trials to prevent wetness were tried and failed.
The discovery of oilcloth, made by the inventor Otis Ferrin was the first real attempt to produce something that would repel water. This was made by putting heavy oil on heavy material. Taking this concept a step farther, a chemist, Charles Macintosh, sandwiched liquid rubber between two layers of wool to produce a product which he used to make raincoats called Mackintoshes.
With the development of plastics in the 40’s an entirely new avenue was opened in the area of repelling liquids. Silicon Polymer, Teflon, and Scotchgard became leaders in the field. While these materials were used with clothing, it soon developed into uses in the building industry and in hundreds of other places. Today no building with a building permit, is erected in the United States without protection against water or other liquid damage.
Basements, decks, roofs, watercraft, and clothing are all open to water damage. In clothing, no one wants to be caught in the rain and then be soaked to the skin. Besides being uncomfortable it can lead to an illness if the condition lasts for any length of time.
Water damage can be very expensive in boat construction so the materials available to prevent this are very important. Clothing for the camper or hiker needs to repel water to keep the body from developing medical problems. The paper industry has adapted the process to include their paper products, such as milk cartons and other containers. The list goes on and on as to what and why something must be treated against moisture.
Extreme caution must be taken to ensure the proper materials are used and complete sealing is accomplished. Because of previous problems, most cities have a building code that requires this work to be done and it would benefit one to research the codes in your city in order to ensure your home is safe from environmental threats.
For many years the boating industry fought against damage to their crafts caused by salt water and storms. There was nothing they could do except keep painting and patching. With the discovery of water resistant materials they have finally been able to preserve the finish on their boats. People who scuba dive and do other things connected with the water have been delighted to find water resistant equipment that provides additional protection as well as provides a barrier against the elements.
Through time many methods were used for waterproofing, including treating with lanolin from wool, covering fabric with wax, tar or pitch on boars, none of these processes were perfect. We have got the best inside info on reliable waterproofing companies .