Home Flooding in Cape Town

Home flooding is a serious issue that can cause significant damage to properties, and it can be caused by various factors such as defective foundations, blocked drainage systems, plumbing problems, rising damp, and leaky roofs. To prevent foundation drainage problems, homes must have solid cement beams built above the hundred year flood line or use pile foundations that allow water to flow freely underneath and beside the home. Regular inspection of drainage systems, plumbing, and roofs is necessary to avoid blockages, leaking pipes, and burst geysers. Signs of rising damp such as peeling paint and a white mineral deposit on walls must be addressed by replacing damaged damp-coarse or applying damp repair by a professional. Lastly, damp proofing can be applied to roofs in the form of a thick fluid paint to prevent damage to ceilings and wood rafters. Promptly addressing these issues is essential to minimize damage and ensure the safety and comfort of homes.

Defective Foundations

Houses build near dams and the coast have special foundations to prevent foundation drainage problems. The house foundation must be build above the hundred year flood line on solid cement beams. The hundred year flood is determined by the highest level a flood has reached during the last hundred years.

Pile foundations allow water to flow freely besides and under the home to prevent damage. The same principal applies for ground that becomes saturated with water after heavy rains. It may happen that damage to wall still occur, if this is the case the only effective solution is to apply damp proofing against walls.

Blocked Drainage Systems

This is specially a problem with old drainage systems. Typically water collects near leaky gutter downpipes, poorly constructed channel drains and trenches, and blocked sewer lines. The easiest way to prevent such problems is to regularly inspect gutter downpipes, channel tranches, and sewer lines for blockages from leaves and other debris. The best time to do this is before the summer rains.

Plumbing Problems

The most common causes of water damage are through leaking pipes, burst geyser or pipes. Leaking pipes may only be a problem in very old homes or if the installation was done improperly. The first can only be resolved by systematically replacing old pipes and for the latter only use a registered plumber.

Problems with geyser may easily be solved by installing a water tray. Note that any of the above problems will cause serious damage to furniture, appliances, ceiling and wooden floors, therefore it makes sense not to delay and rectify any problems you may be aware of.

Rising Damp

The most obvious sign that you have to do with rising damp is peeling paint and a white mineral deposit on your walls. This happens from either a leaking pipe in the wall is damaged damp-coarse. If it is a leaking pipe then you will have to replace the pipe as water will permanently weaken the structural integrity of the wall. Damaged damp-coarse cannot be replaced and the only way is to have damp repair applied by a professional.

Leaky Roof

Damage to ceilings and wood rafters from a leaky roof can be costly. The only way to prevent any further damage is to have damp proofing applied to your roof. In a paint form, damp proof is painted on and is usually a very thick fluid.

Andy Duncan
Latest posts by Andy Duncan (see all)