Allow me to share you the common sources of leaks & respective approaches we do for concrete firewalls:
1. Rotting gutters that rest on firewalls.
Solution:
A. Eliminate them by redesigning the roof to not relieve rain on the firewall side.
B. If A isn't possible, use 304Stainless gutters w/ TIG-welded, leak-tested. Avoid using Sealants & rivets on joints as they'll just be temporary relief.
2. Poor roof-wall joint flashings.
Solution:
A. Let the roof go over the top of the firewall, if possible.
B. Use 304SS TIG-welded seamless inverted J-shaped capping to cover the top exposed area of the firewall. Again, overlapping sheets w/ sealant won't give you permanent relief.
3. Waterproofing failure on the concrete firewall itself.
Concrete cracks with exposure to the elements, temp change & all. That's just how it is.
Cementitious, bituminous or elastomeric coatings do work but they'd need periodic re-stripping & reapplication every few years after. You won't want the recurring hassle & expense. They are short-term solutions like plaster on a wound that never heals.
Eliminate periodic maintenance. Do it right once....the 1st time is always ideal.
Solution:
Here's what we do(I wonder why I've yet to see anyone doing this).....Ask the neighbor where the wall divides permission for work access. Cover the exposed side of the firewall & cap the top entirely. Not w/ coatings but w/ Long-span Prepainted Roofing profile. With how substandard our construction materials have become, we normally go for 0.60mm thickness for metal roof profiles. Unlike condoms, thicker is better here.[emoji4]
A bit of overkill & an ounce of OCD prevention goes a looooong way.
And for those yet to build there homes or whatever, avoid this problem....Tell your designer you are allergic to Firewalls & Concrete Slab Roofs....That's another topic.
Hope this helps, sir. You need not a building contractor, but a good tinsmith (or 'stainless-smith' to be literal) who can custom shape & weld solutions. Best of luck!
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