Waterproofing Fire Suppression Tanks in NYC

Kryton above Manhattan Kryton's complete concrete waterproofing system was used atop a Manhattan hotel in NYC.

There is no question that building in New York City is a costly venture. With skyscrapers towering over the city, encasing units costing millions upon millions to buy, and hotels offering suites for thousands a night, protecting these investments is of the utmost importance.

One of the issues is protecting against the unfortunate and disastrous instance of a fire, especially the upper storeys of a building. Sprinkler systems are in place but need water stored and ready to douse the flames. This comes in the form of a fire suppression tank, which stores thousands of gallons of water to suppress a fire. That said, storing this amount of water that high in the sky could pose problems if not properly constructed.

These tanks commonly have waterproofing issues, such as:

  • Steel tanks are subject to corrosion
  • If concrete tanks crack, leaks cause corrosion and deterioration
  • Wooden tanks develop decay (rot) on the interior surfaces

A New York City Hotel on West 40th Street in Manhattan was hoping to avoid this issue. Kryton’s Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) admixture was introduced to the developers by Kryton Master Distributor, Greg Maugeri of Dry Concrete. Using a product like this is vital in ensuring that the concrete encased water tank – and the properties beneath it – is protected. Taking protection further, construction joints in the water tank are common areas for leaks. Kryton offers single, double, and triple joint protection options, depending on the risk of water penetration your project is subject to. For instance, like the hotel on West 40th, not only are they protecting suites below from water damage, but also ensuring those suites are available for rent. If leakages were to occur through a construction joint, revenue could be lost.

KWS_Triple_protection Kyton's Triple Protection System is the ultimate in joint protection.

This hotel used the Triple Protection System using the superior swelling pressure and of Krytonite Swelling Waterstop combined with Krystol Waterstop Treatment and Krystol Waterstop Grout to ensure permanently protected construction joints. The jointing system, along with the use of KIM is the complete waterproofing system that will keep water out for the life of the structure.

For the hotel on West 40th in Manhattan, it’s will experience leak free conditions from the fire suppression unit while the owners have the peace of mind their investment is permanently protected.

Written by Jason Bryant

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