Home Improvement - Leaks, Moisture, Interior Designing
Fill in those cracks and holes before deterioration sets in and
your equity on the home drops. To get you started we are going
to go over the steps for stopping leaks by filling in cracks in
the walls and/or holes.
First, you will need to purchase a bit of "gray-tinted latex
masonry caulk." You could also use waterproof masonry sealer to
protect the walls. You will need tools to get the job done,
since I am sure you do not want to use your fingers. The tools
needed will include hand vacuum to clean up your mess once you
are done and throughout the process. You will need chisels,
caulk guns, wired brush, trowel and/or a knife will cut it, and
that about sums it up.
You may need a piece of "fiberglass insulation" to fill in any
holes that are deeper than an inch. You can tuck-point smaller
holes in the mortar joints of the walls providing the walls are
brick, stone or concrete. Clean the area for filling with the
wired brush and utilize your hand vacuum to remove any particles
from the area.
You will need 'latex bonding liquids" to coat the edge of the
holes in the wall before filling in the cracks or holes. You
will also need "concrete patcher" since after you apply the
bonding liquid you will need this to fill in the holes in the
wall. Using either the trowel or knife, you will need to smooth
out the concrete patcher for a natural effect.
Repairing your home will increase the equity value. Thus when
you take the time to repair or improve your home, you are
preserving the equity or increasing the equity which makes all
the difference in the world when you consider selling your home,
or applying for additional loans against the equity of the home.
If you need to install gutters or drains, the process is also
simple. You will need one half inch masonry bits and drill,
hacksaw, metal scraper, and a caulk gun to get started. As far
as materials, for gutter or drain repairs you will need butt
joint connectors, adhesive, corner connectors, baseboard gutter
section, and one half inch blocks of wood?
Once you have
the materials and tools together pull out those
working hands and start the process of repairing your home. If
the area for repair is in the basement of the home, you will
need the gutter and drains to repair the problem. It is
important to achieve a perimeter of the area for guttering and
draining. Thus, leaving openings around the drains is essential
for the best effects.
Using the drill, you will need to relieve the any hydrostatic
pressures from the wall. It is important to keep the drill holes
at least one foot apart. Remove any old paint, stains, or other
particulars from the area before continue work. You can use the
scrapers to get the cleaning done.
When preparing gutters use the walls to find the length, since
using the actual area for fitting is best over rulers or gauges.
When you make purchases of materials and tools are sure to read
all the instructions, giving to you by the manufacturer to learn
additional steps in putting up gutters and drains in the home.
Make sure to apply the adhesive at the baseline of the gutters
before installing.
When applying the gutters make sure they fit against the wall
and keep the gutters one quarter of an inch away from the base.
At the corners of the gutter, apply additional adhesive for firm
sticking.
Finally, you will need to install the butt joint connectors
before putting up the corner gutters. Put adhesive at the area
of the gutters that go in the corner, especially around the
corner areas. Finally, you will install the drains. Again
following the instructions provided to you by the manufacturer
for the best job.
Fixing leaks, drains and gutters is relatively easy work. The
hardest part of any improvement or repair in homes is cleaning
the areas, and sometimes dealing with fixtures or other problem
areas.
About the author:
Tony Robinson is an experienced House Renovator, Webmaster and
International Author. Visit
http://www.better-home-improvement.com/ for his Home Renovation
tips.
Written by: Tony Robinson
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