Reinforce the Structural Stability of Your House

by Anthony Powell

The structural stability of the house usually refers to the strength and durability of the “skeleton” of that house. This skeleton includes all the walls, beams, pillars, rafters and foundations that perform the responsibility of weight bearing. They should be looked after properly and with extra care as any serious issues such as in the foundations can lead to a damage that is beyond repairs. Therefore, plan right now to improve the structure of your home as it will save you from frustration and a lot of expenditure in the long run.

Instructions for Structural Improvement

Some very effective methods of strengthening the basic design structure of the house are given below.

Put First Things First

To start with, you should address the worst possible problem. For instance, if you have a leaking shower, check for the wood underneath because water can moist and rot structural wood that can become a paradise for mold to grow. Seal any cracks with epoxy sealants to prevent the water to flow to the basement. Furthermore, regularly check the gutter’s downspouts to ensure that water does not flow to the foundations accidently.

Make Foundations Waterproof

Another important job to perform as early as possible is to waterproof your foundations even if there are no apparent leaks because they are central point of entire home’s stability. In this regard, you can use rubberized polymer spray membrane that is also one of the most effective in terms of performance and cost. Furthermore, you also have to look for things like radon and termites that can inflict considerable damage not only to foundations but to entire home.

Install Floor Connectors and Tie Rafters

This process often known as “continuous load pathing” is important to reinforce the pieces of metal that connects the different parts of the house together. The key here is to build a single and composite structure for bearing the complete load of the house, not in different parts that can weaken the house with the passage of time. Most varieties of both tie rafters and floor connectors are very easy to install. The only real problem is to adjust wood within walls and floor to tie straps and nuts together.

Maintain or Dig Drains

If the problem of water is getting out of the control then simple epoxy sealants and rubberized glow are not the real solution. You might have to do some hard work for digging a trench that drains water away from the house. A good quality drain like a single soil grade that is rather away from the house can strengthen the structure of your house by directing water away. If your house already has drains, clear them of any sort of blockages and debris and do the same with gutters as well.

Replace Loose Roof Shingles

Check the top of your house regularly especially after storms and blizzards to ascertain that no shingle is missing. Missing shingles will not only weaken the roof but will also recall the leakage problem exposing rafter frames and wood trusses to the danger of rot. Although it is expensive, the better idea is to replace the shingled roof with a more strong and durable metal one.

Conclusion

You definitely do not want your house to go to dogs before your eyes and therefore you need to think right now to keep it strong and robust otherwise consequences can be quite drastic in future.

About the Author

Anthony Powell is managing content development at just4canvas.co.uk, providing best quality canvas printing UK services. He writes on various topics like home improvement, home decoration and also opines about arts and craft.

Editor's Addendum:  I once worked as a building inspector for the World Bank in Bosnia following the war.  The order of the day was to ensure structural stability for the houses so that people would have a place to live. There was a lot of houses damaged and the first thing done was to secure the house from the elements. Temporary plastic covered the holes in the roofs and broken windows, because water is a house's second worst enemy. Artillery is the worst, but close behind is water.  When real repairs were made roofs and windows were again first in line. If water gets into the wood structure and stays for long, the wood rots and structural stability becomes a memory.

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