Methane gas, petroleum hydrocarbons and VOCs can migrate into a building if it is not protected by a vapor intrusion barrier system.
A compromised waterproofing and vapor intrusion barrier system can lead to mold, mildew, unsafe air conditions and health issues for the building’s occupants. This is why smoke testing is imperative to conduct comprehensive quality assurance & quality control (QA/QC) testing to ensure the membrane is completely sealed and installed per manufacturer specifications.
When it comes to smoke testing membranes, typical QA/QC procedures of a smoke test verify critical areas such as seams, penetrations wall curbs and transition points. While this is widely considered commonplace in most scenarios, a smoke testing procedure will test the integrity of the entire system using a smoke test machine.
Using a smoke test machine helps you achieve the most detailed inspection results because it gives you complete verification that the entire membrane is continuously sealed with no breaches present.