Hello! Welcome to my blog. My name is Col. I live in Perth and I have a passion for construction. I am pretty useless when it comes to construction work so I tend to leave it to the experts. However, I find that there is nothing more pleasing than seeing a team of construction workers complete a job. Over the years, I have hired many different types of construction worker and they have all taken the time to chat with me. During these conversations, I have learnt so pretty interesting things which I will be exploring on this blog. Enjoy!
-
Waterproofing Balconies: Why It's Important and How to Do It 28 September 2023
-
Window Tinting for Your Home 3 July 2023
Col's Construction Blog
3 Reasons to Waterproof Exterior Walls
Ethan Burton
Your home's exterior walls are built to be robust and long-lasting; however, they may need some help along the way. Rain running down walls or being driven into surfaces by the wind can cause a range of problems.
Waterproofing your walls helps keep them in good condition. What are the other benefits of waterproof exterior walls?
1. Keep Your Walls Looking Good
If your exterior walls get wet, then they can start to look a little worn and less than lovely as the years go by. For example, untreated concrete walls will absorb some moisture from any rain that hits them; walls that have cracks or damaged areas also do this.
If this happens regularly, then the water that seeps into your walls can affect their appearance. Salts may rise to the wall's surface. Or, the paint may bubble and start to degrade as moisture affects it. This makes your walls look unsightly.
If you add a waterproof sealant to your walls, rain will run down the sealant. The wall won't absorb moisture, and your walls will look good for longer.
2. Retain Thermal Benefits
Your exterior walls give you a certain amount of thermal protection. They block the inside of your home from outside temperatures and weather conditions. Effective walls keep more heat inside.
However, if a wall absorbs moisture, then it becomes less effective thermally. The moisture can come into your home making it colder inside. Plus, the cold moisture in the wall may then pull warmth towards it rather than using it to keep your home warm.
Waterproofed walls don't have this problem. They keep water where it belongs — outside.
3. Avoid Future Repairs
If your exterior walls regularly pull in water, then they may ultimately get damaged. For example, if you have brick walls, then the mortar that holds your bricks together may start to fret. When this happens, the mortar gets crumbly or starts to fall out in patches. This reduces the strength and integrity of a wall.
If you get salty deposits on your wall, then these can ultimately do some damage. These deposits also affect brick and mortar. They can also damage the surface of painted, concrete or rendered walls.
Once you get to this stage, you may need to have work done to repair the damage. Waterproofing would have prevented the damage from happening in the first place.
If you think your exterior walls need waterproofing, then local paving companies may be able to help. Paving contractors often offer exterior wall waterproofing in their services portfolio.
Share