omes
are like ideal men- ironclad, unassailable, unshakable- having
no faults. Yet some may retain odd loopholes.Some bright ideas
to help seal leaky homes
Expert Tips to Watertight houses
Concrete by nature is porous and develops cracks
due to the ravages of weather. During monsoon, rainwater finds
its way through these weak spots in the concrete and mitigates
the life of the structure, besides making the surrounding
unsanitary. One way of preventing this efficiently is by using
a waterproofing compound
The first
thing to do is to identify the leaky area. Once you have
identified the area, you need to buy the appropriate
waterproofing material choosing from several brands in the
market.
If
you live in a bungalow or ground floor apartment, here's how
to waterproof your basement walls -:
In a new
house construction, it is crucial to check that drains
installed at footing level direct water away from the house.
As you backfill the trench, apply waterproof layers to the
foundation wall.
In an existing house, you can still dig drainage
ditches and install waterproofing chemicals. To waterproof
from the inside, apply a coating of waterproofing compound,
which will penetrate several inches of previously untreated
concrete. Once it penetrates, it will expand and seal the
concrete pores. While chemicals will help block water movement
through concrete, they do not stop the hydrostatic pressure of
groundwater, which is constantly pushing against the
foundation wall. Installing perimeter drain lines relieves
that pressure.
Concealing
dampness. Here's how:
If
you're lucky, the dampness in your home as a natural result
from monsoon will be restricted to areas like the bathroom or
your basement, but if not, you could be stuck with unsightly
damp patches right in your living room or bedroom.
Of course,
the most viable solution is to apply waterproofing compound,
but there are some people for whom this is not practical
perhaps due to the financial factor involved, which could lead
to conspicuous ugly patches of dampness and peeling paint. So
the next best thing to do is to conceal the damage. And this
is how to do it -:
Draw
attention to another spot in the room by reducing the
light in that particular section and highlighting the
adjacent corner with a decorative piece. Re-arrange your
furniture to focus away from the wall.
Wallpaper
the most affected section of the wall if you are in a
hurry to conceal the unsightly patch.
Putting
up a collage of family photographs on the wall can draw
attention away from the messy area.
Rusted
grills however, will need to be rust proofed with red
oxide and painted.
omes
are like ideal men- ironclad, unassailable, unshakable- having
no faults. Yet some may retain odd loopholes.Some bright ideas
to help seal leaky homes