6 ways to prevent rainwater ingress into your home

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If rainwater gets into your home, you can expect two things: large repair bills and unwanted work! Whether you are in the process of designing your dream home with a team of architects or have bought an existing property, we have a handful of critical tips for you, right here, for preventing rainwater from entering your home and making a real nuisance of itself. Don't think that you won;t have to worry about this issue, as a little negligence now could result in seriously costly repair bills, so let's get up to speed!

1. Check your window seals.

Your first port of call should definitely be a trip around your home, when the weather is a little less clement, to see if any of the seals are leaking. This will probably only look like a dribble initially, but can quickly get worse and in terms of repairs, new seals will be one of the least expensive options! You might even be able to simply run a bead of silicone around your windows, as a short-term fix.

2. Install effective exterior insulation.

If you are building a new home, always be sure to add exterior insulation which will repel water. So many people make the mistake of only having interior insulation, but by the time rain has seeped in, it will be harder to dry out. Most people choose a cost effective material, such as polystyrene, for their external cladding and it really is worth the investment.

3. Use suitable wall coverings indoors.

Make sure that you understand the condition of your interior walls, before making any design choices. We know that you might really fancy a pretty pastel chalk paint finish in your bedroom, but if you have an existing damp problem to sort out first, you can't go slapping fresh paint on! You will need to think about sealing your surfaces, with waterproofing solution, before adding a decorative top coat.

4. Tackle wall or ceiling cracks as soon as you see them.

It can be so easy to see a small crack somewhere in your home and just ignore it, but please don't! There's nothing to say that every cack will allow water to get into your home, but if there's a chance, it's worth you just popping some filler in there, don;'t you agree? Think of it as risk management!

5. Sloping roofs are your best weapon!

This is a tip for you guys that are building your new homes! While you might like the idea of a contemporary flat roof, to prevent rainwater from getting inside your house, you really are best to opt for a sloping roof, so that every drop simply runs off. You can be adventurous with your design still, so don't think that your plans for a unique aesthetic have been scuppered!

6. Maintain good ventilation!

If you have done everything possible but rainwater has still gotten into your home, you need to be able to dry it out as soon as possible, which is why great ventilation is key. Extractor fans, easy-to-open windows and air bricks will all being fantastically effective and none will really break the bank either.

For more handy home maintenance tips, take a look at this Ideabook: 11 home maintenance tasks you can do yourself.

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