While the arrival of the monsoon season may bring relief to many, for house owners it is the time to prepare and protect their homes from water leakage. During this season your exterior walls gets exposed to rain water frequently. When exterior walls get exposed to rain water or high humidity, water and moisture can travel through and affect your internal walls. This means that your walls may stay damp for a long time before drying. So, your wall becomes a breeding ground for mold and mildew growth causing irreparable damage and water leakage. So, if you prepare or take precaution steps to waterproof your building before heavy rainfall, you can keep your house safe and enjoy the beauty of rainfall. Here are few tips to prevent dampness and waterproof your walls.
Check for any cracks in the walls and seal them
Over time, your walls can develop cracks, these crack generally start from the weakest area of the wall. To install a door or a window the builder adds extra framing to your walls. Hence these areas are still weaker than the rest of the wall, and it is where the cracks start developing. As a result of these cracks, moisture gets into your structure and creates damp patches in your walls. Thus, it is important to remove these cracks with suitable putty. Make sure you do this before monsoon to prevent water leakage.
Exterior Paint
When painting the outside of your home, keep in mind that there are two main purposes for your exterior paint. The first is obvious, you expect your paint should make your home pleasing and give it visual appeal. While this is important for you, there is another use for exterior paint, and that is to provide an outer barrier for your home. Whether you’re painting on wood, vinyl, metal, or stone, the right paint offers the first line of defence from outside elements such as water. Find out which paint is best for waterproofing your home and use it with suitable under coating.
Caulking
One of the key areas in your home where drafts can enter or warm air can escape is around the windows. Once your windows get old they will lose the seal both in the windows itself and around the frame. If you can’t purchase new windows, it’s a good idea to re-caulk around the frame. Quality caulking with professional installation generally 5-7 years, so make sure you don’t use cheap products. Other areas where caulking can help you are around your bathroom. Check around the sink, particularly underneath the counter, shower, and around the tub. Wherever there are fixtures in your home, there is generally caulk used to seal them.
Waterproofing During Construction
Waterproofing is best done at the time of construction. Using high-quality liquid waterproofing compound in the starting stage with cement and sand can be effective. Otherwise, use a waterproof coating before painting your exterior walls to prevent water leakage. Nippon Paint’s Hydroshield Dampproof is a fiber reinforced coating used for waterproofing; it forms a thick elastic film which blocks water and offers excellent waterproofing.
Now that you can safeguard your home by waterproofing, enjoy the torrential rains without any worries.
