Tips to Keep your House Waterproof

Having your own particular space seems like a luxury. It is a luxury that you have earned! It can feel exhilarating and exciting to have your own respective property. At the same time, remember that it does come with responsibilities. You must think about maintenance, the major repair bills, energy efficiency, solid concrete foundations, and more as you progress into becoming a comprehensive homeowner.

It can be wonderful to live in a house until you must fix one or two aspects in it. While some damage can be fixed easily, others can have a ripple effect. It can become a financial burden demanding consistent repair if not adequately managed.

One of such is water damage. 

Water damage is an issue because direct water damage can have an impact on your property in more ways than one. It can affect your physical health, fiscal health, and could certainly have an impact on your life in other ways as well. There are various aspects to watch out for when it comes to water damage and major disaster events related to water.

Mold, wood rot, mildew, and general decay, are some effects of water damage. It can also cause worse damages, leading to cracks in the foundation and other structural damages.

Prevention is always better, cheaper, and safer than managing the damage. Sometimes, however, this is beyond us. Hence, the following tips are classified as construction and post-construction tips to keep your house waterproof. 

Actionable Tips for Construction

It is important to think about the quality of the house as you are purchasing it. If you are able to look at the sound structure of the property, you can ensure to make the right decision and save yourself quite a bit of headache. It is true that improper construction and those that barely meet the building code regulations are viable for those that want to stay within a property for the long term.

You can find that even minor aspects such as improperly installed windows, poo building materials, and more can create problems that compound over time. It is best to ensure that everything from exterior paint to the plumbing system and other matters is taken care of in the right manner.

From your window frames to your French drain, and your metal gutters to your water heaters, you want to make sure that these components of your house are set up properly.

You should ideally work with your site engineers during construction to ensure that they include the most suitable waterproof methods and materials in the design, installation, and construction of your home. Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to create buildings when it comes to their houses. If you are not involved in a newly built home, remember to inspect these areas so that you can have the same protection as those that have recently built their homes with these components in mind.

Foundation

Foundations are mostly made of concrete. Regardless of how solid concrete might be, water can still go through it. 

One way to manage this porosity is to waterproof and damp-proof your basement during construction. This is done using a dimpled membrane. 

This way, natural groundwater will not come in contact with the substructure. It is also essential that every crack at the foundation is filled with a concrete sealant. The foundation can have a significant impact on your property over the long term. You can see that cracks can form over time and that the house can slope in one direction or the other.

A poorly laid foundation can have a serious toll on your property and it is one aspect that you must ensure to fix as quickly as possible before incurring more costly damage.

Exterior Walls

Walls give structure and shape to buildings. It is the connecting link between the foundation and the roof. Walls are easily exposed to moisture from rain and snow. Therefore, cracks are more visible on walls. 

Exterior walls can be wrapped with a plastic sheet to keep water from penetrating the walls. Different substances can be added during construction to make it waterproof, depending on the wall material. Block walls, for instance, can include a plaster waterproofing additive. 

Waterproof paint

There are several high-quality liquid waterproof coatings to prevent water damage and dampness. This paint creates a thick coat on the wall surface, making it impenetrable to water. You can consult your builder on the best waterproof paint to apply. At the same time, you can work with other professionals to ensure that your home waterproofing aspects are up to par and that you do not have to deal with a wide variety of issues.

Waterproof paint is merely one aspect of the larger effort to waterproof your home.

Roof

This is the “icing on the cake” of any building. It should be your ultimate cue to protect your house from water damage. Ensure that the skylights, plumbing vents, and chimneys are properly sealed. You don’t want to hang buckets around collecting water from a leaking roof, do you? Certainly not! You want to make sure that you prevent snow and other elements from entering your home and contributing to mold growth, water leak issues, and excess water matters.

Windows and Doors

Depending on the window and door material and the installation of the frames, moisture can gain access to the building structure. Wooden windows that are not waterproofed can become swollen during spring and winter. 

These fixtures can easily be waterproofed by applying silicone to the surface before installation. Installation errors can be corrected by filling the gaps with sealants.

POST-CONSTRUCTION TIPS

These tips will help you properly maintain your building structure while in use and protect it from water damage. They are: 

Roof

The roof is susceptible to rainwater and snow runoffs because of its position. During winter, ensure that ice dams are not forming on your roof. This will create barriers to the free flow of snow, trapping water and causing damage to the ceiling. 

Make it a habit to replace missing or damaged shingles, clear chimneys, and clean your roof. This should be done from time to time, irrespective of the time of the year.

Drainage

This includes the gutters and the drainage system, encompassing all the collecting pipes. Over time, and with consistent use, they are bound to get clogged. If it is not unclogged early, the pipes might break, causing the area around the pipe to be flooded. 

This can get into walls or the basement and make them damp. A dampness map across the wall and basement surfaces is often visible.

Walls

As molds and mildew become visible on walls, walls are mostly affected by dampness. A cracked wall will allow water leakage. Things to do to maintain a waterproof fence are:

• Check for cracks in the wall and seal them as quickly as possible. 
• Find the best paint suitable for your type of wall and repaint from time to time.
• Re-caulk around window and door frames, bathroom sinks, counter, shower, and tub.

Regular Maintenance Practices To ensure You Waterproof Your Home

These are the aspects to watch out for in your modern home and in an older building as well.

• Roof Inspection
• Plumbing Check
• Drain Cleaning
• Bathroom Updates
• Create shades for windows, doors, and balconies 
• Leakages around AC ducts should be fixed 
• Check Your Downspouts
• Redirect Runoff

These regular aspects can have a positive impact on reducing structural damage that can take place due to lack of maintenance.

Choose PuroClean Property Restoration For Your Restoration Needs

Some effects of dampness in building structures, such as algae and molds, can make a house unhygienic, and cause allergic reactions. Leakages can affect interior design and furniture in buildings if it is not adequately managed. 

The financial cost of repairing damages caused by dampness can be overwhelming. The most effective way to manage these is to prevent them from happening. Hence, making your house waterproof is the best remedy. It is safer, cheaper, and increases your general quality of life.

If you do find that you have suffered from water damage and want to minimize the regular issues that come from such an event, reach out to our team at Puroclean today.