What is water seepage & How to Prevent Wall Seepage?

water seepage 01
Jun

A house is supposed to keep us safe from external manifestation. The Walls and ceiling cover the house from every side to keep us safe inside. So it is required to make the Walls and ceiling strong enough to stand against extreme situations. Sometimes, they fall apart when the walls are not strong enough to bear those situations.

There are many reasons why a house can be damaged. Everything, including the strength and weakness of the house, lies within it. The way a house is built shows its strength to withstand certain situations, and the same, if not maintained properly, can become fatal for the house.

What is Water Seepage

Water seepage is a problematic situation that can arise for natural and artificial reasons. The water finds a way to flow down in this situation, creating hydrostatic pressure against your ceiling, walls, or floor. This pressure opens the pores of your home and passes through it.

The flow of water through the tiny holes may be slow and nearly invisible, but it can damage your house. The extra moisture weakens the wall to fall apart quickly. 

Signs to Determine Water Seepage & Wall seepage

Sometimes water seepage is evidently visible with signs like cracks and wet walls, but sometimes it is tough to determine if water seepage has occurred or not. 

Water seepage creates extra moisture, which generates a different but unpleasant odor. The presence of moisture will also make the room humid. There are a lot of other signs like cracks on the wall or ceiling, water-soaked and swelled paint stains, etc. if the water leak is more, you can see the pile of water on the floor. 

Read Also: How You Can Prepare for Emergency Plumbing Situations This Summer?

Causes of Seepage 

There are a lot of factors responsible for water seepage. The factors can be both natural and artificial. Here we will discuss some possible reasons for water seepage. 

Leakage in Pipe

Pipe leakage is one of the most common reasons for wall seepage. When a pipe is leaked inside a wall, the water drains through the leak, accumulates on the wall, and affects it by rusting the rods and swelling the wall. 

Absence of Plaster

If your outer wall gets wet frequently, either by the constant rainwater splashing or by a faucet connected to it, it is more likely to get dampened. The only way to prevent wall seepage on the outer walls is plastering. If the plastering is not done correctly, the wall may soak in water.

No Drainage System

A working drainage system must be needed on the roofs and balconies. If a proper drainage way is not created or clogged, the rainwater will accumulate on the roof, and eventually, it gets through it and starts dripping.

Absence of Proper Waterproofing 

If a good quality of waterproofing is not used during the construction of inner walls, your inner walls will be exposed to damping. 

Risks for Water Seepage

Water seepage may seem a minor problem, but it can become life-threatening. Water seepage weakens the walls by corrupting the inner materials and rusting the iron bars. If your wall or roof is entirely dampened, it is at high risk of falling apart. 

These structural issues can damage your house and furniture, getting them water-soaked. The wooden furniture and metal items can get rust in the dripping water from your ceiling or walls. 

If the water seepage affects the house's electric wiring, it can cause severe electrocution that can be fatal for you and your family. To avoid these kinds of situations, you need to solve the water seepage problem from the beginning. 

Ways to Prevent Water Seepage

1. Seepage can attract many dangers to your home, but it can prevent all the misshapes if treated from the initial stage without ignoring it. Here are the things you should do to prevent water seepage.

2. If you think repairing yourself is not enough for a seepage that you found in your home, you must not waste time trying to cover it up. Contact the nearest professional expert services to repair the seepage and adopt specific techniques to prevent any further seepage in the future. 

3. Before doing anything else to stop the water seepage, you need to stop the water source. If the seepage is due to the leakage or blockage of any pipe, you need to stop the water supply. Stopping the water supply will prevent further damage until it is fixed.

4. Your next step should be to clean the drainage ways. If some wastes or leaves block the drainage way of your roof, clean it up and make the passage for the water.

5. If you think your walls are sweating, there must be less ventilation inside your house. You may create space for more windows and exhaust fans for better ventilation. If there is no space for more, you can install a dehumidifier.

6. Repair the gaps and cracks on the inside of your wall if there are any. The damaged walls and broken tiles can accumulate water. Repair them and use waterproofing during the process.

Conclusion 

Water seepage is a big issue, but it can be solved if found in the initial stage. Follow the steps to prevent water seepage in your house and keep yourself and your family safe.