The Difference Between Water Resistant and Waterproof

One way to refer to the various types of basement tanking is “waterproofing” or “damp proofing”, but what level of protection does this provide to your home? Does a tanking system in basement waterproofing ensure fool proof protection against the threat of water ingress or does it simply minimise the risk? This brings us to the next point of the difference between water resistant and waterproof, which is detailed below.

Water Resistant

Very appropriately named, water resistant materials are able to resist the effects of water. Despite this, over time, water resistant materials allow water to penetrate through, which can lead to damage. Although water resistant materials can prevent the effects of water damage to some extent, they don’t guarantee full protection.

After 10 years, your waterproofed basement runs the risk of becoming water resistant as opposed to waterproofed. Of course, this is better than zero protection; however, for something as important as protecting your basement from groundwater ingress, you need to ensure that the measures you have in place are fool proof.

Waterproof

As the name suggests, waterproof materials aren’t affected by being exposed to water, hence the use of “proof”. A waterproofed material won’t allow liquid to penetrate it, meaning that no water will go inside, nor will any come out. Ultimately, any waterproofing needs to be capable of performing under the toughest of conditions. For instance, tanking methods for basement waterproofing equip a basement to handle all manner of conditions.

Since much of a basement sits underground, it can fall victim to groundwater penetrating porous walls. As a result, this can lead to flooding and even lead to the walls collapsing completely. Therefore, it’s imperative that tanking solutions for basements provide a waterproof resolution, as opposed to a water resistant one. This solution will be effective for as many as 10 years, meaning it will need to be reassessed and supported as the years progress.

What’s the Difference?

So, in short, what’s the difference between water resistant and waterproof? Firstly, water resistant materials provide protection from water that interacts with the material’s surface. Despite this, water resistant materials can’t be submerged in water, meaning that complete protection isn’t guaranteed.

In contrast, even when waterproof materials are submerged in water for a significant length of time, they still won’t allow water to seep inside. This is the key difference between waterproof and water resistant.