Aritcles
5 Simple Ways to Reinforce Your Home’s Structural Integrity
Extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, and a long period of neglect can weaken your home’s structure and even damage it beyond repair. For these reasons, it’s extremely important to conduct a regular inspection of your property and check for any cracks, leaks, and other structural defects. It’s also crucial to do simple repairs and improvements to reinforce your home’s foundation and prevent further damage. Here are some steps and tips that will help you:
- Prioritise major issues
- Waterproof the foundation
- Install floor connectors and tie rafters
- Replace roof shingles
- Reinforce your doors
Identify the worst possible problems and deal with them first. For instance, if you have a leaking shower or faucet, hire expert plumbers to fix it immediately. Constant leaking will not only increase your monthly utility bill, but will also rot wooden parts of your floors or walls and cause mould growth.
Also, make it a point to check drainage and gutter downspouts regularly to ensure there are no leaks. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain all year round or is prone to flooding, consider installing Rospry epoxy floors to the basement or garage. This will help you prevent rain or floodwater from seeping into your home’s foundation.
Even if you don’t find any leaks, make sure to waterproof your house’s foundation. One effective technique is using rubberized polymer-spray membranes. This type of liquid spray covers the whole exterior of the foundation wall to completely seal it from any leaks, termites, mould, and radon.
Ensure your house is safe and sturdy by reinforcing the metal pieces that hold it together. The main objective here is to turn your house into a one strong load-bearing structure that can withstand extreme weather conditions. Start by fastening tie rafters to the horizontal wood trusses on the ceiling and walls to keep them from falling down. Install strap ties vertically between floors to make sure they don’t give in against heavy weight. Lastly, reinforce the anchor bolts that connect the top of the foundation wall to the lower part of your home.
As a note though, it’s best to get in touch with contractors, especially if you are planning a loft conversion, want to build another floor or room, or conduct any other major renovation. Asking the assistance of specialists provides better results than carrying out home improvement projects on your own.
Inspect your roof at least once a week to make sure all the shingles are still intact. Missing shingles can lead to leak problems that will rot wood trusses and rafter frames. If you live in a storm-prone area, consider replacing your shingle roof with a metal one as it’s more durable and easy to maintain.
Protect your home against storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes by making sure your entryways can withstand strong wind pressure. Install solid doors made of white oak, timber, or mahogany. Steer clear of those that have class features as these can easily break during strong storms.
When doing these renovations or any other home improvements, be sure to use only quality building products. Doing so helps guarantee that your project will improve both the value and structural integrity of your property.
As a final note, always make it a point to hire professionals to help you with any home repairs or upgrades you wish to do. You can find several contractors that offer electrical services, building, plumbing, and other domestic solutions.
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