Key Considerations for Your Balcony Drainage Project

Like their open-air counterparts, balconies straddle the weather-sensitive divide between indoor and outdoor spaces, offering comparable challenges for architects and designers. What’s more, the added constraints of balcony elevation and restricted surface areas present additional obstacles to the provision of effective drainage.

 To overcome the evident shortfalls of centralised balcony drainage, homeowners have been increasingly drawn to level threshold solutions. Threshold is specifically designed for restricted balcony spaces, offering excellent drainage possibilities and unique ‘no stepdown’ provisions to support universal access. 

Key Considerations ›

1. Depth of Profile

Careful consideration must be given to the depth of profile allowance within balcony spaces. A shallow depth profile will strictly limit the type of lineal drain solution that can be applied within the balcony space and will reduce overall flow capacity.

2. Drainage Placement & Downpipe Location

Precise placement of the lineal drain is crucial to the efficacy of the entire drainage system. Lineal systems are uniquely designed to sit parallel to walls or access points, or flush against the floor to ensure maximal surface coverage and superior water drainage.

To meet these requirements, waste outlets and connected downpipes can be positioned at the edge of the balcony area in order to connect with the threshold subsill; although multiple outlets spaced along the channel are more efficient.

While balcony piping and drainage outlets may be modified during the construction phase, the possibilities of major modification on existing constructions remains limited. In this case, a traditional central drainage solution is simplest.

Stormtech’s skilled specialists work closely with specifiers, architects and builders to offer tailored drainage solutions, including bespoke drawings and plans for customised drainage designs.

  Whitepapers

Choose from our collection of White Papers produced for Stormtech products and services.

 

Balcony Drainage Systems in Multi-Residential Design

Balconies are a popular feature in multi-residential buildings, offering occupants an appealing blend of indoor and outdoor living. However, these spaces present specific challenges in terms of drainage, making careful design of water management systems essential. Without proper drainage, balconies are susceptible to water accumulation, which can lead to structural issues, building degradation and discomfort for residents. As multi-residential developments continue to expand across Australia, the complexity of balcony designs has grown. This has resulted in a higher number of building defects, particularly in relation to waterproofing failures, ingress and leaks. Such issues are a growing concern for architects, developers, and designers striving to create durable and reliable structures. Addressing these defects is critical, as they impact not only the longevity of the building but also the satisfaction of both owners and occupants. Poor drainage design can result in costly maintenance and repairs, underscoring the importance of considering water management early in the design phase of multi-residential balcony projects. In this whitepaper, we look at why balconies leak and the drainage solutions that will prevent water accumulating and entering the indoor environment. We also consider the upcoming changes related to this field in the 2025 update of the National Construction Code (NCC).

The Custom Drainage Revolution

In complex spaces, such as those with unique layouts, particular aesthetic requirements, or difficult environmental conditions, standard drainage solutions may not always be effective. This is where customised drainage solutions come into play, providing individualised solutions to challenging drainage problems that are beyond the scope of standard “off-the-shelf” products. The Custom Drainage Revolution: Meeting the Challenges of Modern Commercial Design and Construction examines how custom drainage systems can meet the challenges faced by today’s building projects. Custom-designed drainage solutions excel in complex spaces because they are made from the ground up to satisfy the unique requirements of a project, guaranteeing a drainage system that precisely satisfies the space's functional and aesthetic requirements. Stormtech™ offers a tailored site-specific service to suit the complex needs of large and intricate projects, including a free site measure and quote. Linear drainage systems can be customised to suit unique design challenges, including dimensions, load, capacity, slip resistance and grate colour finishes, to give specifiers, trades and end users complete confidence that the products they are using are fit-for-purpose, and built for the required application.

Waterproofing of domestic wet areas

Water seeping into adjacent building elements due to improper floor grading and inadequate waterproof membrane installation in key areas, such as around the floor waste, frequently results in building damage. To avoid these issues, architects, designers and specifiers need to have a thorough understanding of the changes to floor waste, floor grading and waterproofing requirements in the 2021 version of AS 3740 “Waterproofing of domestic wet areas” and the 2022 update of the National Construction Code. Understanding AS 3740:2021 “Waterproofing of domestic wet areas”: A Guide to Floor Waste and Fall Requirements examines how the recent updates to the relevant standards and regulations impact wet area design and construction. Two of the most frequently reported building issues are improper floor grading in wet areas and non-compliance with waterproofing regulations. The most basic objective of any construction project should be to keep our buildings and people safe and preventing loss of amenity. This is more easily achieved by first understanding and then exceeding the requirements for wet area waterproofing in terms of material, design, and installation. Stormtech’s 120SCS Shower Screen Support drain will help you meet and exceed the new requirements in the NCC 2020 and AS 3740:2021 while at the same time drastically simplifying bathroom design and installation. This innovative product, which includes a Shower Screen Support Channel for any Stormtech grating style, is a versatile linear drainage system that provides dual functions as a drain for both sides of the shower screen and a support for the shower screen itself.

Beyond The Building Code

Building codes play a significant role in determining a building's long-term quality, safety, and energy efficiency. In Australia, this is fulfilled by the National Construction Code (NCC), which specifies the minimum necessary requirements for safety, health, amenity, and sustainability in the design and construction of new buildings (and new building work in existing buildings). Design and construction choices affect operational performance and maintenance costs during the lifetime of the building. Building codes, such as the NCC, help designers and builders “get it right” from the start. Once installed, some building components may be replaceable or upgradeable, but some aspects of how the building performs are “baked” into the design. This is especially the case for plumbing and waterproofing. Due to various factors—from stronger fire safety regulations to higher expectations for liveability—building regulations have grown more onerous in recent years. This, along with increases in the cost of materials and labour, has seen the cost of construction rise to some of the highest levels we have ever seen. “Chasing the minimum” is the default stance many architects, designers, and builders take when faced with the need to increase margins and deliver projects on schedule. This practice involves constructing buildings to the bare minimum, following the regulatory requirements to the letter, and making no attempt to exceed the performance level or specification set by the standard—even if doing so would result in better building performance over the long run. Is this a mistake?

Tried and Tested: Exploring Issues with Building Product Certification

With the rising cost of construction and supply chain issues across the globe, all parties in the building and procurement process need to be on guard and informed of the risks of products that fail to meet performance claims or fall short of Australian standards. Understanding the regulatory pathways used to ensure product conformance is especially important given the expanding variety of new and innovative products that are being sold. Product certification is a tool that can be used to ensure a product is compliant and fit-for-purpose, but the landscape is more complex than it appears. Tried and Tested: Exploring Issues with Building Product Certification is a useful guide to building product certification schemes and how they can help you reduce risk. We explain what certification means in relation to building products and provide examples of certification schemes relevant to the Australian building sector, including WaterMark. We discuss some potential misuses of certification to help building and design professionals avoid the most common pitfalls. We also look at several effective ways to reduce the risks associated with incorrect product specification. All Stormtech drains are Watermark certified for use in Australia. Stormtech is also the only drainage manufacturer with GreenTag Level A Gold certification, which is the product rating certification approved by the Green Building Council of Australia. Stormtech works proactively with plumbing advisory services to ensure drainage remains fully compliant with NCC regulations and Australian standards and exceeds the minimums to ensure not only fit for purpose, but reliability and durability.

Livable Housing Provisions & Level Threshold Compliance

Drainage maintains a straightforward but crucial function: making sure water can be removed from the property effectively, safely, and efficiently. This is not only important in bathrooms to avoid pooling water and unsafe conditions, but also in the transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. An effective drainage system prevents water ingress by draining it away, all the while ensuring a level transition between the two spaces. The National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 edition has new provisions that will make new Australian homes more suitable for people with mobility issues. New livable housing design requirements are included in the updated Code, changing the way we design homes to make them easier to use and more adaptable to the changing needs of occupants. Based on the Livable Housing Design Guidelines (silver level), first published by Livable Housing Australia, these new requirements represent a significant improvement in the housing options available to older Australians and those with physical disabilities. In practice, this entails eliminating steps whenever possible, creating more room in the bathroom, enlarging doorways, and making provisions for future modifications like the installation of grab rails.

Going Local Amid the Global Supply Chain Crisis

When designing and manufacturing plumbing and drainage systems in Australia, one of the first decisions you have to make is whether to make the product locally or outsource it from overseas. While the industry assumption is that it is more cost effective to manufacture offshore, this is not necessarily the case given the current instability in global supply chains.

Safety Lessons - A Specifier's Guide to Creating Safe & Sustainable Educational Facilities

In this whitepaper, we provide a concise look at the design standards that apply to schools in Australia and examine the key considerations when specifying for these facilities, with a particular focus on child-specific safety risks and sustainability requirements. In doing so, we provide designers and specifiers with the essential knowledge they need to create safe and sustainable learning spaces that meet the needs of a wide variety of end users.

Considerations When Selecting a Sustainable Drainage Provider

Amidst the rapidly expanding local and global construction sectors, sustainability is a key concern. Architects and specifiers must navigate a tricky terrain of mandatory regulation and compliance hurdles, coupled with growing social pressure and, importantly, their own drive to make a positive impact on the world. With growing numbers of home buyers and renters concerned about the sustainability credentials of their dwellings and increasingly willing to pay more for sustainable residences, the writing is on the wall. Architects and specifiers continue to rise to the challenges of increasingly sustainable architecture and now lead the charge with ever-more innovative solutions. This whitepaper will provide a detailed overview of factors for consideration by architects and specifiers when choosing a renowned, industry-leading drainage supplier to deliver effective sustainable drainage solutions.

Aging In Place

New homes that are being built now by first or second time homeowners are likely to be the homes that they live in into old age. New builds need to prioritise safety, accessibility and comfort to meet the needs of occupants now and into the future. Among the key design priorities include, eliminating trip hazards, mobility considerations and facilitating daily living activities such as bathing, grooming and cooking. If such requirements are not considered early, the homeowner will face costly house modifications as they age.

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