Building an Home Extension

Living in Australia, you may love the climate and the fact that you can enjoy the outdoor lifestyle all year round. However, you understand that you will have to deal with high humidity and frequent semi-tropical rainstorms and will have to take steps to protect your property from the associated consequences. If your house is particularly exposed to the prevailing wind and rain, you may have noticed some problems inside due to moisture penetration and may wonder what you can do about it. So long as this is a case of exposure to the elements and not a structural issue, you may be able to overcome the problem by waterproofing your external walls. How should you go about this?

Eliminating Other Issues

Before you start, it is important to isolate the problem and have a good look at the configuration of your home to check for any other issues. In particular, make sure that your gutters and downpipes are all free and clear so that the fascia board and other components do not absorb moisture unnecessarily.

Different Options

Assuming that you are ready to go, you need to choose the right type of product for your waterproof coating. These come in many forms including a material that has a cement-like consistency and will permanently adhere to bare masonry or painted walls alike. Alternatively, you could choose a sealer that has a silica base and interacts with the masonry to form an impenetrable bond. However, you cannot use this if your exterior walls have been painted already. You can also use a special type of paint that is acrylic-based and apply this on top of an existing coat. Make sure you choose the right type of formulation, however, as the structure still needs to be able to "breathe."

Preparation

Before you even begin, you will need to do quite a lot of initial work to bring the wall in question up to a good condition. There may be existing cracks and other imperfections and these need to be filled before being sanded down to a smooth level. Once you've done this, the waterproofing can be applied using a brush or roller, and you may have to introduce a couple of coats, allowing the first to dry off before proceeding.

Did it Work?

To be really sure if your work has been effective, you should check the internal moisture level using a special meter and after a prolonged period of rain. You can simulate this yourself by spraying water onto the surface for a certain amount of time before you conduct the test.

The Better Alternative

On the other hand, you can always bring in some experts to do the work for you, as they will guarantee their work and take care of all the mess at the same time. Contact your local contractors for more information on waterproof exterior walls for your home.