6 Ways To Monsoon-Proof Your Home

Monsoons are a boon and a bane for our homes. On one hand, they help us get rid of the sultry summers providing comfort and on the other hand, they create cleanliness and health issues. Every year right before monsoons, we see a lot of homeowners call a contractor to fix their roof to avoid water from seeping inside the rooms. Or you see people tying tarpaulin sheets on their balconies or plastering the cracks outside their walls. These are the indications of getting your home monsoon-ready and looking for other things in the home that need to be monsoon-proofed.

Check for Your Roof and Walls

Look out for any cracks or leakages in your roof or walls. Water having the property of taking any shape, easily flows through the cracks and with time weakens the structure. One way of water-resisting your roof is by applying bitumen sheets to it. It is still done to date and is one of the effective methods. This is the first and foremost step towards home monsoon-proofing.

Another easy way is to put plastic covers in the form of makeshift structures for the monsoon months over the roof. They can be uninstalled after the monsoons are over.

Take Care of Your Furniture

Your furniture sometimes takes a beating from the presence of extra moisture in the air. Place your movable furniture, especially wooden, away from doors or windows to avoid rainwater affecting them. This prudency will ensure that your furniture lasts longer and no algae growth starts developing on it. If the furniture is heavy, try getting a cover for it and put it on the side exposed to the apertures in the room.

Furnishings Should not be Overlooked

We use ample furnishings in our homes like carpets, curtains, bedcovers, pillow-covers, sofa-covers, etc. in our homes to beautify our spaces. Throughout the year these are exposed to the various seasons and every season affects them in some way.

Due to excessive moisture in the atmosphere, these furnishings (made of fabrics) have the property of absorbing that dampness. As the monsoon sets in its full swing and if care is not taken, they can start becoming heavy with dampness and exude dullness. Besides, they become breeding grounds for insects. Thus care should be followed to keep dusting them or rotating them.

Add Fragrance to Your House

Once a week change your sofa and bed covers or even vacuum them with a cleaner. This will clean away the accumulated fine particles and also leave behind a fresh smell. Placing camphor balls inside wardrobes is also beneficial in absorbing moisture. Lighting up incense sticks also helps in spreading the aroma in all rooms and lets the odor, if any, subside.

You can also switch your previous drapes with lighter and translucent ones to let in diffused light. Thus, inculcate a habit of changing and washing the accessories to keep them refreshed and clean.

Unclog the Drains and Mend the Pipes

Before the onset of the monsoons, get your pipes and drains checked for clogging. A lot of times during the monsoons, due to heavy rains sometimes there is a backflow of water in the choked pipes. This creates stagnation and breeding sites for insects. Leaking pipes should be fixed so as to avoid unnecessary dampness.

Watch for the Doorsteps

A lot of times, when we enter our homes we bring along with our dirt and germs. We walk through the room and spread them along the floor which makes it more infectious and the footmarks make the room look unappealing.

It is sensible to place a doormat along with shoe racks, umbrella stands, or sanitization units so that one we clean ourselves before entering and ensure that the house is safe and hygienic.

Monsoon-proofing our homes is more about acting before time so that we don't need to face unpleasant scenarios later. It is all about the affection we share with our homes and what we do to keep it healthy and fine as we do for ourselves.

Photos: Freepik and Unsplash