Preventing water ingress can be a challenging task for those with an older home, however, it is not impossible. By filling up the small cracks and monitoring the appliances in your home, you can begin to prevent water leaks and other common issues such as mould and rot. In this article, we will be looking into some of the other ways that you can prevent water ingress in your home.
Reseal Your Basement
If you use your basement on a regular basis to store equipment and personal belongings, then it is important to ensure that your basement is weatherproofed. By damp proofing your basement once a year you are preventing any water from leaking as well as sealing any cracks that are visible. This will keep your personal belongings safe and prevent damage to the space, thus increasing the value of your home over time due to the additional storage space.
Inspect The Roof
In addition to resealing the basement, it is important to inspect the roof as even the smallest crack can let in water. Therefore, this is important to ensure that all the roof is protected. This can be done by applying metal sheeting to the roof or clearing the guttering, this can help the water to run cleanly from the roof and drain away from the house allowing for the inside of your house to stay dry. Though this can be a costly process, this will benefit your home in the long term as it will prevent water damage in the long term.
Check For Leaking Appliances
Though inspecting the roof will help to prevent the effects of water damage, it is leaking appliances that can also cause water to leak into your home. Therefore, it is important to check appliances such as the shower, bath and washing machine in order to prevent water from leaking out during use. With some sealant around the fixtures, you can prevent even the smallest leak, allowing your appliances to last much longer as they will be less likely to rust as a result.
By inspecting all these appliances once a year, you will then be able to prevent common issues such as mould and rot from developing and ensure that your home is weatherproofed in time for the winter months.
Clean Your Gutters Once A Year
During the autumn, your gutters can become clogged with leaves and other debris swept up by the wind, therefore it is important to clean them out at least once per year as this can prevent water from draining away correctly. By cleaning out the gutters, you are then allowing the water to drain smoothly. If the guttering that you have has a crack in it or is not secure in any way it is important to replace it as this will ensure that water moves away easily.
Regardless of whether you have just moved into a new home or you are ensuring that the outside is ready for the winter weather, there are a number of ways that you can prevent water ingress without spending a small fortune.
