SpecTips - Electronic Leak Detection – Quality Assurance Testing for Roofing and Waterproofing Installations
Pinpoint Breaches in Roofing and Waterproofing Membranes
A roof is a building’s front-line defense against potential environmental threats. It is imperative for a roofing system to be watertight to protect the interior contents from costly damage caused by water leaks. Roof leaks can result in mold damage, structural problems, and can be expensive to identify, particularly when overburden such as roof gardens and pavers are installed. Therefore, it is critical that the roof system is watertight from the very start.
There is no better way to ensure a watertight roof system than to test it using Electronic Leak Detection (ELD). ELD is available to test most roof systems – new or old, wet or dry, single-ply or fluid-applied – and can pinpoint breaches, even those too small to be seen.
Although ELD testing is not new, there have been major advancements in the technology over the past few years. This new ELD technology is accurate, efficient, and affordable. The testing equipment can easily identify leaks in roofing assemblies, including semi-conductive membranes such as black EPDM.
Electronic testing has been around since the 1970s, yet many industry professionals are unaware of its capabilities and limitations. Until recently, there were no industry standards available.
In 2014, the ASTM Standard Guide D7877 was published, providing the industry’s first guideline for valid ELD testing. This guideline was followed by the ASTM Standard Practice D8231, which was published in 2019.
ASTM D8231 reflects the technical advancements which confirm that a conductive substrate is required directly below the membrane for valid testing. Providing an acceptable conductive substrate immediately below the membrane has been a challenge for many years, as available products had major problems with adhesion, wind uplift, and membrane erosion.
Detec Systems developed TruGround®, a water-based, liquid-applied conductive primer that has solved these problems. A collaborative effort with Carlisle has produced the first and only FM-rated assemblies that can effectively test bareback single-ply roof membranes using Electronic Leak Detection.
SPEC TIP
In MasterFormat Division 7 sections , Part I “General”, include Field Quality Control that requires Electronic Leak Detection.
For more information, visit the Detec TruGround Information Sheet
A roof is a building’s front-line defense against potential environmental threats. It is imperative for a roofing system to be watertight to protect the interior contents from costly damage caused by water leaks. Roof leaks can result in mold damage, structural problems, and can be expensive to identify, particularly when overburden such as roof gardens and pavers are installed. Therefore, it is critical that the roof system is watertight from the very start.
There is no better way to ensure a watertight roof system than to test it using Electronic Leak Detection (ELD). ELD is available to test most roof systems – new or old, wet or dry, single-ply or fluid-applied – and can pinpoint breaches, even those too small to be seen.
Although ELD testing is not new, there have been major advancements in the technology over the past few years. This new ELD technology is accurate, efficient, and affordable. The testing equipment can easily identify leaks in roofing assemblies, including semi-conductive membranes such as black EPDM.
Electronic testing has been around since the 1970s, yet many industry professionals are unaware of its capabilities and limitations. Until recently, there were no industry standards available.
In 2014, the ASTM Standard Guide D7877 was published, providing the industry’s first guideline for valid ELD testing. This guideline was followed by the ASTM Standard Practice D8231, which was published in 2019.
ASTM D8231 reflects the technical advancements which confirm that a conductive substrate is required directly below the membrane for valid testing. Providing an acceptable conductive substrate immediately below the membrane has been a challenge for many years, as available products had major problems with adhesion, wind uplift, and membrane erosion.
Detec Systems developed TruGround®, a water-based, liquid-applied conductive primer that has solved these problems. A collaborative effort with Carlisle has produced the first and only FM-rated assemblies that can effectively test bareback single-ply roof membranes using Electronic Leak Detection.
SPEC TIP
In MasterFormat Division 7 sections , Part I “General”, include Field Quality Control that requires Electronic Leak Detection.
- Require that the ELD testing complies with ASTM Standard Practice D8231 “Standard Practice for the Use of a Low Voltage Electronic Scanning Platform for Detecting and Locating Breaches in Roofing and Waterproofing Membranes.”
- Require that the conductive medium for effective ELD testing is installed directly below the membrane.
For more information, visit the Detec TruGround Information Sheet
Up Next
December 02, 2020
Thermal Bridging
With the increasing focus on energy conservation in the last few years, building codes have increased insulation levels, tightened air barrier requirements, and set lower levels of energy use for lighting and HVAC.
November 18, 2020
Uplift Testing for Induction Welded Systems
What tests have been performed for induction welded systems, and how do the results compare to conventional mechanically fastened systems?
November 04, 2020
VOCs and Roof Membrane Bonding Adhesives
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), along with Nitrous Oxide (NOx), are compounds which react with UV rays from the sun to produce ozone. Increased levels of ground-level ozone can affect overall air quality.