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I was chatting the other day with Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing editorial director John D’Annunzio about roof maintenance.

Once it has been established that waterproofing is required, the next important decision is to determine where it is required. Typically, waterproofing should be applied over all below-grade concrete surfaces.

Construction and maintenance pros, do you have what it takes to takes to excel today? I'm not talking about aggressive cost cutting or crazy-efficient management techniques. Chances are you are already doing those things.

To review, there are five reasons why waterproofing is required. They are: 1. To meet code requirements. 2. To keep water out of the building. 3. To protect the structure’s concrete and steel elements. 4. To cope with hydrostatic pressure. 5. To minimize economic concerns, such as the cost of future excavation.

Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing is all about webinars and this month we have another great one. At 2 p.m. EST on Tuesday, April 19, we will host a webinar, “Designing Waterproofing Systems for Basement Conversions from Crawl Spaces.”

In addition to keeping moisture out of the building, waterproofing serves another equally important role. It helps protect the structural elements - concrete and steel - from damage due to moisture and chemicals in the environment.

Al Levi could have packed it in, gone to Arizona, and led the good life. After all, he sold his contracting company back when the economy was still vibrant.

The determination of hydrostatic pressure is an important element prior to the design stage. This is a basic factor in the choice of a waterproofing system. By definition, if hydrostatic pressure is present then waterproofing - not dampproofing - is required.

Last week I spent a couple days at the Coverings Show in Las Vegas. Usually, I’m very focused at trade shows on meeting readers or advertisers and talking about their specific interests.

On June 16, 2011, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will begin to enforce a new residential fall protection compliance directive - STD 03-11-001.