Your house is meant to develop issues such as water damage the longer you live in it. It costs money and your peace of mind. Although there is no such thing as a permanent fix, it’s essential to know these things you might be doing wrong, therefore, accelerating the damage water does to your house:
You Didn’t Let Pros Do the Job
We can’t emphasize enough how you should have a construction professional by your side from the conception of your house design until the last stroke of paint is applied to its walls. A contractor and his team of engineering and plumbing professionals know best how to strategically situate water pipes in the most complex building structures and properly seal these into absolutely closed systems. They also have mastered erecting the most fortified walls that can sustain strong external shock and are impermeable to external moisture.
If you entrust your building project to individuals who are not certified professionals in the construction field, chances are you will end up with a substandard structure, the faults of which may not be immediately evident but will later reveal themselves in the form of untimely damage, including water damage. No matter how well primed and painted, a poorly done concrete wall can absorb moisture from outside, which seeps through. If you do not detect such a collection of moisture, it could be a breeding ground for mold spores which could be a health risk to you and your family.
Another reason you should have your house design be certified good to go by construction professionals is they are adept at building leak-proof roofs and efficient water catch systems. Depending on your house’s location, they angle roof panels such that rainwater does not get trapped on top; rather, it all drains down. As early as when the roof’s rafters are up, they observe where water tends to form puddles inside the house. So give particular attention to that part of the roof when putting it up.
You Don’t Check Your Roof
Unless you live in an arid area, you should make it a point to inspect your house’s roof at least once a year. The frequency by which you check your roof should depend on your location’s precipitation and snowfall rates. Before winter or rainy season, you should have already checked if there are any dilapidated or toppled-over roof shingles or loose roof nails that need to be sealed back tight.
If you are not sure how to inspect your roof or you do not have the appropriate tools to protect yourself and repair damages, your contractor should be a no-brainer choice to get in touch with. A good contractor does not treat a house project as final just because the house is already up; they will extend any help for as long as your house stands. If not your contractor, you can hire certified roof inspectors who can perform restorative works for your roof.
You Don’t Check Your Drainage System
Do your kitchen and bathroom drains clog a lot lately? Perhaps, you do not give much thought to it and do not maintain it regularly. Take this as a sign to check on your drainage system before it causes a worse problem, that is, bursting water channels.
How do you know your sinks and drains need that much-needed cleanup? The most telltale indicator is fluid flows back or takes time to drain. Another is if you notice a stench originating from the drain.
Clogged toilet bowls have a plunger as a common fix, but what about the other drains? For bathtubs and sinks, a reliable tool to pull off any debris that remains under the stopper and the gasket is a drain snake or an improvised equivalent made of an old garment hanger. Still, it is best practice to clear your drains once a week with a round of hot water, followed by half a cup of baking soda, then a whole cup of white vinegar. Allow the chemicals to work for approximately ten minutes before rinsing the drains with boiled water.
You Don’t Seal Leaks
Leaking water pipes are usually inconspicuous because they are not placed somewhere in plain sight, and only when damage has happened can you notice them. You use water every day, and so it is only right to check and clean your pipes as often as once a month. Do the same for your faucet spouts because it is more often manipulated manually, thus their gaskets being more prone to loosening.
A leak can be sealed off with a water-resistant sealant from your local adhesive supplier that either comes in foil packaging or tubes you can insert in caulking guns. Either which material you use, as long as you apply it on the problematic area clean and dry, you can guarantee that there will be no more leaks.
Any form of damage in your house can be prevented from worsening by constantly inspecting it. Water damage is not exempt from this fact. How well your house holds up to water-related issues also depends a lot on its structural integrity, which you have to get right the moment you design your house.
