A large line continued down the passageway in the mall making it practically unusable. What on earth are they selling? It was the release of the new water-resistant iPhone. But, many of those new phones would break sooner than expected suspected.
Why?
Because water-resistant and waterproof are very different things even though the terms are often used interchangeably!
Water-resistant, meaning there is some degree of resistance to water permeation, is often used as a market positioning term for a wide range of products: phones, speakers, headphones, sunscreen, flooring, appliances, etc. And yes, the new iPhone falls into this category.
Marble tile is a great example in your home: It resists moisture, but prolonged exposure will result in darkening. This happens because marble is porous, and water will penetrate into those pores the longer the marble is left exposed to water. It is why countertop sealers were invented—to increase the water resistance of natural stone! We also recommend wiping all natural stone surfaces dry after use.
Waterproof means it is impervious to water, i.e.: water does not pass. It is often used by manufacturers with some sort of qualifying statement…a watch that is waterproof up to 10 meters or a vinyl plank flooring that is waterproof ‘only under standard conditions’–read: dry unless you drop a glass and clean it up immediately. It is easy to be tricked by this sort of language unless you read the details.
For homes, bathrooms and foundation walls are the perfect example of places where waterproofing is essential. Without it, you’ll have water spots on your living room ceiling and crumbling, moldy concrete in your basement. We use Schluter waterproofing systems in our bathrooms along with careful attention to detail to make sure leaks will not happen and water stays where it should.
Hydrostatic pressure is the enemy of concrete, so our foundations are treated with waterproofing compounds that prevent water permeation into the concrete. We engineer our structures and sites to move water away from the foundation to minimize the potential infiltration, but without proper waterproof detailing, foundation problems loom in the future!
It’s important to know the difference between water-resistant and waterproof because it will impact your home and your daily life. For example: you should probably not go deep sea diving with your new water-resistant iPhone. When it comes to your home K-One can help. We select product and design your home to keep water exactly where it should be. Many older homes already have water issues…we can help remediate those too.
