No one wishes to be soaked by the weather. Rain, snow and hail can cause deterioration of one’s most precious possessions. Before the invention of good waterproofing materials a number of attempts were made to treat fabrics. This included using wax and lanolin and pitch or tar was used on boats, but for various reasons these methods were not satisfactory.

In the 1800’s Otis Ferrin, an inventor, developed oilcloth by using heavy oil on heavy material. Later, in that same era, a chemist, Charles Macintosh, using liquid rubber over wool cloth developed a waterproof cloth. This was used for years to cover items from the weather and was especially popular for raincoats. These raincoats were most commonly known as the Mackintosh.

With the discovery of plastics in the 40’s, including Silicon Polymer, Teflon, and Scotchgard, a full blown industry began to waterproof almost everything. Uses of weather protective materials is worldwide, especially in the building industry. There is no building erected that does not have this kind of protection on various parts of the structure. Without this protection, mold and other problems develop.

In response to these inventions, many different manufacturing industries responded with new products and requirements that extended the life of products. The building industry, for example, adapted standards which now require use of materials to prevent water seepage in all their construction. This has prevented hundreds of dollars of this type of damage.

This process has also progressed into the paper industry with its use on various items that protect the contents from leaking. The most well-known is the milk carton still seen in stores today.

Extreme caution must be taken to ensure the proper materials are used and complete sealing is accomplished. Because of previous problems, most cities have a building code that requires this work to be done and it would benefit one to research the codes in your city in order to ensure your home is safe from environmental threats.

The introduction of waterproofing materials was a boon to all areas of life. From boat enthusiasts to mountain skiers, from builders to everyday life situations, this product has provided for a more protective life as well as a longer life for products.

Through time a number of methods were used for waterproofing, including treating with lanolin from wool, covering fabric with wax, tar or pitch on boars, none of these processes were satisfactory. We’ve got the ultimate inside information on best waterproofing companies .

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