Get cracking on those pesky leaks…

THE warm, bright evenings is when you should check the exterior walls of your property for cracks. No other time of year is better for ensuring your home is protected from those pesky hairline cracks that gradually enlarge to become bigger problems that allow water to penetrate the exterior cavity wall. Untreated cracks will cause dampness and even structural damage to the property’s foundations if left unchecked.

Concrete might be one of the most compact substances there is but all kinds of weather can weaken it. Intense hot and cold temperatures, storms and driving rain all test the limits of concrete over many years which is why you should not ignore any cracks that appear, particularly on exterior walls.

Take a stroll around the house some morning and examine the lower walls up to a distance of three to four feet for any signs of wear and tear. Most of the cracks will be tiny hairline cracks and are not a problem so long as they remain hairline. They say if the crack is the size where it allows you to fit a €1 coin, then you need to fill it with a durable mix for which there are plenty on the market. The best one to get is the concrete type ready mix that comes in a tube.

Don’t delay in doing this job as it’s the time of year to do it. Imagine how hard it would be on a cold, wet Saturday in November? Once you’ve completed this simple task, the next course of action is to monitor any cracks that are likely to get worse. The easiest way to assess this is to fill it in the first place. It’s easy to quantify the extent of the damage after that. But just ensure you keep the rain water away.