At around July or August, the rains and winds are stronger, typhoons occur more often. It is the time of the year when Habagat reaches its peak. It is also the time of the year when issues like flooding and temperature changes become imminent. After all the devastating typhoons endured by the Philippines, one easy way homeowners combat this is through waterproofing several parts of their home. Find out more about it through this article.
What is Waterproofing in Your Home Means?
It is the process of making your house and lot waterproof or water-resistant to stay relatively unaffected by water and impede the ingress of water under specified conditions like strong rains or flooding.
Why Should You Consider Waterproofing Parts of Your Home?
Waterproofing your home benefits your house in many ways.
1. Mold Prevention
One, it prevents molds from developing around your home. Waterproofed walls control the room’s moisture levels, preventing molds from growing. This will not only benefit the structure of your home but your health as well.
2. Helps in Property Value
Second, waterproofed walls and floors increase your property’s value. Focusing on the business side of real estate, when it is time to sell or rent your home, a waterproofed home will maximize your profits.
But beyond the aforementioned benefits, water breaks down concrete. Aside from being visibly worn down, the concrete weakens and erodes over time, and will break down due to water damage.
Hence, this is not some kind of optional strengthening of one’s home. It is a necessity to keep your house strong and stable.
Read Also: How to Maintain and Increase Your Home’s Value?
What Parts of Your Home Should You Waterproof?
Here are the different areas of your home that must undergo waterproofing.
1. Foundations
The foundation serves as the anchor of the house. Without it, the house will cease to stand.
Considering its responsibilities, the foundation must be rock-solid—the sturdiest part of the house. But even then, as with any concrete material, water can damage it and then eventually pass through it.
So, for your home’s foundation, you must both waterproof and damp proof your basement by using a dimpled membrane that inhibits the water from touching the walls, allowing the walls to have space to breathe a bit.
2. Exterior walls
Exterior walls are subject to heavy rain and humidity and hence endure quick wear and tear. As they begin to wear down, they become more susceptible to water and moisture permeating through the masonry of the exterior walls and affecting the interior walls in turn.
It means that your walls may stay damp for a long time before drying, leading to mold growth and irreparable damage. This is evident in Manila right now where rain and immense heat lead to intense humidity.
So, always remember to coat your exterior walls with waterproofing paint every five years.
3. Building flashings
The flashing is the thin and impervious sheet that prevents water from entering through the roof and directs the moisture flow away from the building.
An issue with building flashings is the potential openings that may not be able to stop the ingress of water. Subsequently, the main method of waterproofing done to the flashings is extending the edges a bit to cover the potential openings.
Failure to cover these may damage the interior walls which may damage other parts of the home. Consequently, the repair expenses will pile up.
4. Roof
Your home’s roof becomes your first line of defense against rain. As a result, water damage will wear down your roof over time at an accelerated pace. For any homeowner, it would be nightmarish to experience rain permeating through your damaged roof during a typhoon.
Read Also: 10 Tips to Prepare for Strong Typhoons
So, in case you do not want buckets, pales, and pots stationed around the house catching raindrops, here are the two best ways to waterproof your roof.
One, make sure any roof accessories like lights, antennas, and chimneys are properly sealed. Second, make sure the roof has enough steepness to allow the water to travel down to the ground as water deposits left in the roof will damage the roof.
5. Gutters
Drains and gutters are where different water deposits end up. During strong rains, it is likely that they overflow. If overflowing happens, the gutters are obstructed, allowing all the different, dirty types of water to mix, and it becomes unsightly and unpleasant to go near it—even look at.
On the other hand, if no overflowing happens during rains, that means your gutters have no obstructions, making the water flow freely.
That is why, if you do not want water overflowing in your gutters, water entering through walls and into your house and lot, or causing stains on walls, make sure you keep your drains and gutters free of obstructions. Re-seal damaged parts of the gutter if necessary.
6. Floor
Though the least susceptible to water damage, water that leaks onto the floor and wall spaces can damage structural timbers which can be difficult and expensive to repair.
The best time to waterproof your floors is pre-construction. To begin, you must clean the whole floor, and seal the gaps with silicone, before adding waterproofing paint. Once, the waterproof materials have been applied, you can proceed with adding the tile.
If ever you need to waterproof an already constructed house, you will have to remove the tiles and then put them back in place. Due to the hassle associated with it, it is best to waterproof the floors at least while building the house.
7. Windows
Not only do your windows provide a view of the outside world from the comforts of your home, but it also keeps water out, and air from escaping, and controls moisture around the house.
To keep windows waterproofed, just make sure that the glass is properly installed inside the window frame so that water slides off the window as the water deposits may touch and damage the timber. Additionally, you can keep direct rain off your windows through the awning.
The next part of your house works the same way a window does.
8. Doors
Just like a window, a door keeps water out and assists in moisture control around the house. Where it differs with windows is the threat of molds.
During a rainy day, wet doors swell, and molds may potentially grow. In addition to this, improper installation of doors leading to doors being unable to close or a lack of clearance between the door and the jamb can let in moisture.
The waterproofing method is quite simple. Just like a window, the awning will keep direct rain off your doors. Moreover, installing a weatherstrip at the bottom of the door keeps wind and moisture from wicking up the bottom of your door.
9. Interior Walls
As floors were mentioned earlier, the rest of the interior must be waterproofed as well despite not being as exposed to water damage as exterior walls. The top interiors that need the most attention regarding waterproofing are the kitchen and bathroom.
In the kitchen, bevies of leaks can occur like under the sink or a malfunctioning refrigerator. On the other hand, bathrooms, if not properly ventilated with a fan, window, and a door, condensation may occur, leading to not only furniture in the bathroom but the mold growing.
Aside from addressing moisture and leakage in your home’s interior, you can use waterproofing paint to restructure the interior of your home against water damage.
Waterproofing as an investment
All in all, making the early decision to waterproof your home will give returns as you will save so much money in the future from not having to pay the damages caused by water.
Read Also: Get to know the different types of Real Estate Investments
From benefits like mold prevention, and cement fortification, it is necessary to keep your homes ready for the rainy season as a home unprepared for typhoons can cause dire consequences.
Written by Cholo Hermoso
