How to waterproof exterior walls?

Monsoon is an amazing season for many. It is a pleasing season that brings in comfort for both humans and animals. A blessing for many,  it can also be a cause of worry for house owners. The arrival of the rainy season can be an alarming sign for house owners especially when their house is not ready for this season. House owners often ignore the importance of waterproofing. When the exterior walls are not painted well, it is obvious for the walls to get exposed to continuous water flow in rainy seasons.

Improper coating of the exterior wall exposes it to moisture and rainwater which may lead to dampening. The humidity and dampening let the water travel to interior walls and thus cause water leakage.

How to waterproof exterior walls?

The continuous exposure to rainwater can lead to damage to the exterior wall. The humidity and dampening can be the obvious causes of irreparable damage. It is thus important to take the right steps for waterproofing the exterior walls. Here are some of the steps:

• Check for the internal issues in the structure
  Waterproofing of the exterior walls will not be effective if there is any fault in your internal structure. Before you could opt for waterproofing of the outer wall, it is important to check structural dampness. This may include burst water pipes, cracks in bricks, etc.
• Cleaning the gutters
  Before you choose to waterproof the exterior wall, it is also essential to check clogged gutters on the roofs. This blockage can lead to moisture in internal surfaces that may lead to water leakage and rotten woods.
• Select the right product
  After you are sure that there is no issue in the structure of your house, it is the right time to get waterproofing of the exterior wall. It is important to choose the right product for waterproofing of the exterior wall and from among so many options, not all the products prove to be a perfect solution so choose wisely.
• Prepare your walls for waterproofing
  Even when you choose the best waterproof solution, it is always important to prepare your wall for waterproofing. This includes the process of bringing the exterior wall in good condition. 

exterior house wall

Remove cracks using good filler, remove excess dust deposited on the surface with the help of water and then wait for the walls to dry before you could apply the waterproofing solutions to achieve everlasting results.

• Applying waterproof solutions
  Waterproofing is not at all a difficult art but it is important to ensure that painting of the solution is done appropriately such that all the areas of the wall are covered. One can use a roller or brush to waterproof the wall. If a second coat is required, it is essential that the first coat get completely dry before applying the second layer.
• Don’t forget to use a plaster additive for waterproofing
  Using plaster additives in waterproofing can help enhance the overall look of the waterproofing. This is essential because waterproofing is always chosen for the exterior walls.
• Testing
  Last but not the least, check for the results. To check the effectiveness of the waterproofing, wait for the waterproof solution to dry completely and then spray the wall with the water with a nozzle placed at an angle of 30 degrees. Once your home passes this test, the waterproofing proves to be perfect.

So as to avoid such leakage, it is important to waterproof your exterior wall so that it remains dry even in the rainy season. Keep in mind these essential tips as they can help waterproof your walls in the right way.

Tips When Waterproofing Wall

• Seals the visible cracks on the walls
  At the time of construction, walls are likely to get cracks. These cracks are the weakest portion of the wall that can easily absorb the moisture from the exterior dampening walls. This weaker structure further leads to building moisture in the walls. It is thus important to check these cracks and seal them before the monsoon season arrives so as to prevent leakage.
• Proper painting of the outer wall
  Many believe that perfect outside wall painting is only done to ensure a better and pleasing appearance of the house but the purpose of the exterior wall painting is not alone the beauty of the house. It also acts as an outside barrier for the protection of the house. While painting the exterior wall, it is important to choose the right paint. It is important to paint your exterior wall with an additional waterproof coating.

waterproof exterior walls

• Caulking the windows and doors
  The frames of the doors and windows are more likely to receive cracks in a few years. Such cracks open space for moisture. It is hard to change doors and windows frequently but it is possible to caulk it to provide strength to adjacent walls so as to avoid leakage and damage.
• Safeguard while construction
   The importance of waterproofing can only be felt once the house observes signs of leakage. This creates space for dampening and further damages the house. So as to avoid this, it is important to ensure that waterproofing is done right at the time of construction so that water leakage can be stopped before it arrives.

It is rightly said that prevention is always better than cure. Rather than waiting for the monsoon season to knock your house with leakage, it is always better to opt for waterproofing at the right time. It is sure that when you have actually included waterproofing in your house at the time of painting, you can welcome rain without any worry of house damage.

To ensure that your house maintains a beautiful appearance even after the rain, include a perfect waterproofing coating on the exterior walls of your house right before the final paint is done on your outside walls. A perfect waterproofing not only enhances the overall life of your house but also helps enhance its beauty.