How to fix leaking walls and blistering floors after flooding

When the weather is dry, the homeowner needs to remove the planks, clean and re-tile them; and apply waterproof paint to the outside walls.

The heavy rain on the afternoon of September 26th left many families in Saigon unable to react because too much water flooded into their homes, too quickly. If the house had been waterproofed well, the floor tiled, and furniture had been moved to a higher place in time, the consequences would have been much less severe. For the remaining houses, the solution is as follows:

1. Shrinkage of wooden floors

- Laminate flooring: Poor moisture resistance, so if it rains for a long time, the wood will shrink about 0.5 cm per slat. Water from the street will cause dirt to seep into the cracks of the floor. Architect Pham Thanh Truyen advised that the homeowner must remove the planks, clean the floor and wooden slats, then replace the new lining and re-floor the wood.

- Natural wood flooring: Higher moisture resistance but on the market there are many types of natural wood panels of poor quality. Therefore, you also need to check carefully to fix it with a similar form.

The first floor of a family home often has a lot of electronics and large furniture. Photo: Tran Thanh Huong.

2. Wall is soaked

According to architect Ngo Van Dinh, it is very difficult to deal with water seepage on the walls after rain. Many families usually only plaster the outer walls with cement and use regular paint. When flooded, the house will be damp and moldy. Even families using ceramic tiles on the base of the walls, which look dry on the outside, but if it rains for a long time, the walls will become damp and the electrical system will be affected.

Temporary fix:

- Tiled wall base: If the water has not soaked through the tiled wall, you can rest assured.

- Painted wall: You can save it by using a high-pressure lamp to shine on the wall.

- Wood paneling: You need to remove it, clean the wall and wood and re-panel it.

- Wallpapered wall: The old wallpaper is completely damaged, needs to be peeled off and the wall cleaned.

How to protect and fix long term:

Families need to do a good job of waterproofing by using outdoor paint. When the wall surface is painted, it will be smooth and shiny, so when it rains heavily, it will be like "water pouring off taro leaves", the water will flow quickly and not seep into the house.

3. Electrical system

Most homes use underground wiring systems in the walls. Therefore, if water is flooding areas with wiring, the homeowner should call an experienced technician to check. Household appliances (lights, fans, etc.) that have been soaked in water should not be plugged in before being inspected by a technician.

4. Furniture

- Wooden furniture such as tables, chairs, cabinets and beds: Use a specialized solution to clean and let dry. Then, re-varnish to prevent termites. Some items are badly damaged, you should not regret keeping them.

- Mattresses, carpets, mats, foam: Need to be drained of water, washed thoroughly, dried in a cool place.

According to VNE