As soon as the monsoon makes an exit, its aftermath is seen as much inside houses as outside. It’s common to find people making a beeline to fix leaking walls, wet patches and the likes. Paint peeling off and damp bits hanging loose all become major causes of embarrassment in an otherwise well-kept house. You can’t control the rains, perhaps, but what you can control is how it affects your house. The importance of good waterproofing cannot be overstated.
Waterproofing has always played an important albeit slightly neglected role in the construction industry. Contrary to popular belief, its function in a project is not just limited to protecting the surface from water. It also, to a great extent, increases the actual life of the structure.
Lakhs are spent on the interiors of a house. From swanky designs, classy furniture to expensive upholstery and state of the art technology, much ado goes into what is known as ‘doing up a house’. It however takes only one heavy spell of rain to spoil the show. Some houses do not even have to wait for the rains. Repair work in an adjoining flat is enough to send a wall into the leakage mode. Leakages not only mar the entire ambience but also make the place unhygienic and often even unlivable. It’s of late that waterproofing is eventually being given the importance it deserves by architects and constructions consultants while planning projects.
There are four broad areas that need the most attention when it comes to waterproofing. The exterior walls of a building, terraces, slabs or sloping roofs, expansions joints and toilets, bath or sink slabs.
As a building becomes old, its exterior surfaces start getting loose plaster and cracks in the walls. The same applies to terraces which get damaged surfaces after being exposed to atmospheric changes from time to time. While these are issues of exteriors, it’s also common to find people complaining that water percolating from a toilet, bath or wash area in an upstairs’ flat is causing a bad leakage.  
The best time to undertake waterproofing is generally after the month of December and post monsoon considering the weather in India. Starting in the month of December would leave enough time to finish the project depending upon the volume of the work. Post-monsoon, of course, it’s time to repair the wrongs in the house.
There are several options available in the market for waterproofing. Till about a decade ago, waterproofing was done with the help of conventional civil systems like laying brick bat koba on terraces and re-plastering the exterior walls to avert leakages during impending monsoons. This was normally done by employing the unorganised sector and in several cases the results were not found to be satisfactory.
In recent times, with the advancement of technology, polymer-based waterproofing has come to replace age-old methods. The technology is not just yielding results but is also proving to be cost-effective.    
Polymer-based technology has several advantages over conventional civil-oriented waterproofing processes.  Waterproofing done in this manner is a quick and convenient method that guarantees no damage to the actual structure and its look. Also, these systems are ready-to-use with no pre or post treatments required. The cost effectiveness is an advantage.  
It’s necessary, though, to run a detailed analysis of the source of leakage for satisfactory results after the use of this technology. There are trained professionals in the market who undertake this kind of work and who have a good understanding of the specifications and procedures laid by the manufacturer.
Some excellent examples of polymeric-based products that have hit the market in recent times are heat insulations coatings. These coatings provide the dual benefits of heat insulation as well as water proofing. They also provide protection against thermal shock and help in lengthening the life-span of roofs and buildings. If done in an organised manner, polymeric-based waterproofing could be your answer for leakages and seepages as well as to increasing the life of a structure, all in a cost-effective manner.
So, if you think this monsoon is battering your house, it’s time to think of some good and effective waterproofing technology.