No one wishes to be soaked by the weather. Rain, snow and hail can cause deterioration of one’s most precious possessions. Before the invention of good waterproofing materials a number of attempts were made to treat fabrics. This included using wax and lanolin and pitch or tar was used on boats, but for various reasons these methods were not satisfactory.
In the 1800’s Otis Ferrin, an inventor, developed oilcloth by using heavy oil on heavy material. Later, in that same era, a chemist, Charles Macintosh, using liquid rubber over wool cloth developed a waterproof cloth. This was used for years to cover items from the weather and was especially popular for raincoats. These raincoats were most commonly known as the Mackintosh.
The discovery of plastics in the 40’s caused a huge development in the production of products for preventing water damage. Silicon, Polymer, Teflon, and Scotchgard produced miracle results when applied to various products. This became extremely important in places like hospitals where various items needed to repel liquid. With this coating, there is no danger that germs or disease producing organisms can cause problems.
This protection is used in building structures (basements, decks, roofs, and other areas that get wet), in paper (milk and juice cartons), watercraft, canvas, and clothing. Exposure to the weather can cost thousands of dollars in materials and lost time for the building industry. Without its use on paper it would be impossible to have inexpensive containers. For watercraft, canvas, and clothing this protects and prolongs its life.
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.
In building a home, on the other hand, the basement is the first wall of defense against damage. If improperly treated to resist water it can develop life-threatening mold as well as ruin walls and insulation. Today’s building industries have developed special treatment for basements using special membrane sections which are specially treated. As with other products, there are various levels of protection guaranteed. In this most important part of a home it is important to have only the best.
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 best waterproofing companies .