Mobile Phone Tower and Terrace waterproofing

Is mobile phone a blessing in disguise?

God knows! What man knows is that it is a devil that is loved by all. The Devil has made everybody a slave and this slavery is voluntarily accepted. At times mobile phone is worse than mere menace, but still no one can think of a world without it. Lot many negative attributes and controversies are attached to it, at the same time it is a wonderful piece of modern gadget, man

has ever developed, for the use of an entire mankind. Whatever turns a technology may take; it looks like, that, mobile phone will be indispensible in near future and so will be the Mobile Phone Tower catering the services.

How water enters the structure?

Cell phone receiver and transponders are normally fixed on a steel tower like structure which is of lattice type and the assembly is then fixed on the terrace floor of a building. This installation comes with a cabin which hosts some precious machinery and with lot of aluminum strips, about 3cms. in width and 4 mm. in thickness. These strips provide earthing to the equipments, but the problem is that they run allover and they are fixed to the surface by metal fasteners. The spots where the nailing is done become a critical area from where water enters the structure. This water then travels vertically or laterally allover in the structure. It appears on the surface from a weak spot, at any floor level in the building. The source spots become difficult to waterproof by usual sealing materials because there is too much of movement of the strip, physically as well as due to the variations in the temperature. It is possible to waterproof this area with special type of materials which withstand against the problems.

During the installation of cell phone antenna, if proper attention is not given to the waterproofing of terrace floor then it results into sever damages to the structure. It is neither in the interest of Cell phone service provider nor of the building owners to have leakages from the terrace and elsewhere.

Is it possible to have Cell Phone Tower and still have a leakage proof building?

Yes, certainly! It is possible to install an antenna and still have a leakage proof structure. The menace of leakages caucused by Cello Phone antenna can be eradicated completely by adopting a proper approach.
In my opinion this can be done in two ways.

1. At the design level one can make the provisions to carve out premises for the installations of antenna. The premises planned for the purpose should be drawn in such a manner that although in appearance it is a part of the main structure, it remains independent of it. Since the facility is being created while the structure is being constructed, the waterproofing of entire building can be well carried out, with ease.

2. Where the antenna is to be installed on the existing structure, the utmost care should be taken to see that throughout, the entire place remain accessible. Even the area underneath the cabin, which is a part of the whole installation, should have a clear approach. As far as possible excessive nailing, or insertions of metal, in to the structure should be kept to its minimum. The nail heads should be properly covered, so that the water does not enter in to the structure. Special chemicals and methods are available to take care of the typical problems. With such care damages to the structure can be avoided.

So let us now have a cake and eat it too!