Shopping Plaza

Leaking Air Conditioning Duct Penetrations

Date: August 2019
Client: A Large Supermarket Chain
Project Type: AquaLoc SprayFoam

About this Project

The air conditioning ducts on this large shopping complex roof were leaking condensation into the building interior, despite attempts to protect the wall penetrations with traditional methods. As you can see in the following pictures, these consisted of a sloping hood for rainwater run off, and water-resistant materials stuffed in the gaps between the wall and the duct.

Original Flashing Hood

The duct penetration area was covered with a sloped flashing hood to protect against rain water, however we found that a tarpaulin was also having to be draped over the area as the hood was not effective.

Penetration Gaps

The gaps between the duct and the wall penetration were stuffed with soft insulation, however these were not effective at preventing condensation from leaking into the building interior.

Ducts Sealed & Now Completely Watertight

The hood and other materials were completely removed exposing the full area of the penetration and duct sitting within the opening.

The AquaLoc SprayFoam trailer was brought onsite and the penetration apertures filled with closed-cell spray polyurethane foam.

Because the SprayFoam goes on in liquid form, it allows us to fill all the nooks and crannys, and then it expands and dries into a rigid, fully waterproof coating.

SPF was particularly appropriate for this job because it also allowed us to provide a natural “bench” for the ducts around the penetrations, providing extra support at these connection points.

Even the ancillary pipes and smaller connections are sealed using this innovative approach.