[Vishyvish]

Normally there would be a beam at the junction. Leakage at this area could occur, due to a crack which is normally seen on the exterior, or due to erosion of the joints between the tiles from the upper floor. If the flat above has an adjoining kitchen or toilet, rest assured its due to erosion of cement between tiles or whatever flooring they are using. Kindly check and identify the cause and if it is due to the tenant on the upper floor, they would have to do needful.

[dhanushs]

I have a house in Kannur, which is almost 30+ years old. Has the same problem. I've tried every quick fix solutions like Dr Fixit etc.. However, every single thing has failed.

I'm putting Aluminum Roofing Sheets next week. If the leak is bad, that is the only lasting solution. It will also save the house.

[lambuhere1]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

I'm putting Aluminum Roofing Sheets next week. If the leak is bad, that is the only lasting solution. It will also save the house.

Let me know the outcome of the solution please, it might be great.

Originally Posted by Vishyvish

Normally there would be a beam at the junction. Leakage at this area could occur, due to a crack which is normally seen on the exterior, or due to erosion of the joints between the tiles from the upper floor.

Can erosion occur on the roof of the house ? How to identify and discreen the cause of it ?

Originally Posted by rajeev k

There are many methods to prevent this. Is it leakage or seepage. Some photos could help in finding a solution.

My plane jane english tells me its Leakage, Pardon my english though.

Originally Posted by alpha1

Root cause can only be found by undoing the roof floor.

Is undoing the roof floor the only viable solution ? Is it really done in practical situations like these ?

Probably, I was very poor in my explanation. The wall at the beam junction with the vertical wall gets wet and water literally rallies down along the vertical wall. In case of heavy rain, we can see water droplets forming on the ceiling and dripping in their own sweet time. My house is a top floor one and no one above it.

Another point which I have noticed is that at the zone where the electrical pipes were laid, we can see the dampness of water. Now seeing that I am more concerned about the electric short circuits that might happen.

Apologies, Haven't taken any snaps of the same.

Now the question that is persisting in my mind is how to identify the cause of the leak at the roof ?

[Aroy]

Folks finding leaks/seepage in walls is a very frustrating thing to diagnose. The cause may be at one end and the visible portion at the other end. One sure fire method is to keep chipping the wall in the direction of the water flow. You will ultimately reach the cause.

That apart here are common points of seepages
. Joint between the floor and the walls at the terrace. If the terrace is lined with brick tiles, then after a few years the joints crack and water seeps in, travels under the tiles and then on to any crack in concrete.
. Leakage from pipe segments whose joints have loosened. In one case in our house the drain pipe from terrace to ground had opened up and a section subsided, resulting in a 1" gap. All rain water would get out through the gap on to the wall. Took quite some time to figure it out.
. Joints between two walls. You have to regularly inspect and apply cement where ever two adjacent walls join. For example between two buildings there is a common parapet, the joint at the yop will leak after some time, if not repaired
. Leakage through electrical sockets in terrace. With time the seals around fixtures and switches deteriorates and water will enter during hard rain. Then it will travel through conduits and emerge where ever it finds a crack.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

Let me know the outcome of the solution please, it might be great...

There is no question about the outcome of putting roofing sheets. It acts as a roof above your roof.

The added advantages are:
Less Heat in the rooms.
You get a huge space for gardening, workshop, drying cloths etc.
Install it 3-4 feet from walls and your paint lasts 3 times more.

Basically it preserves an old house, and gives it double the life.

Eg: http://www.everlastaluminiumroofing.com/

[Kairalee]

I am facing a similar problem of roof leakage, but in this case the roof is of Mangalore double grooved clay tiles (with an additional layer of clay ceiling tiles) on a sloped metal truss.

During the recent rains there has been some leakage - rainwater dripping from a couple of places in the ceiling. The tile layers re-adjusted the tiles and replaced a few tiles but the leakage continues from a new location every time it rains.

One of the contractors mentioned that clay roofing tiles will leak no matter how much you adjust or re-align the tiles and spoke about using some water proofing material and sealing all the gaps on the roof tiles, but that will not allow air exchange through the roof to help maintain cooler temperatures inside the house.

Since we stay in this house only during weekends and holidays, I may not be able to monitor the leak on a regular basis and protect stuff inside the house in the event of a leak during the upcoming monsoon season. I need to find solution within the next couple of months and I have nothing in sight.

Anyone who has such a roof and has faced / managed such a situation, please advice on a remedy that worked for you.

Originally Posted by dhanushs

I'm putting Aluminum Roofing Sheets next week. If the leak is bad, that is the only lasting solution. It will also save the house.

Are these sheets available only in a single colour and could you please mention the cost per square feet quote you received? (only for the sheets...not for the framing and fabrication) I may look at this option if nothing works with the tiles I mentioned above....I'll go ahead and replace all the tiles with aluminum sheets preferably in a brick red colour.

[fine69]

I recently moved to a new rented place and the kitchen doesn't have any shelfs, just a huge L-shaped slab & sink. So for storage purpose I was contemplating getting a carpenter and get some 2-3 storeys of shelfs made.

But then I recently came across this.

My objective is to spend the least as its a rented place & we'll shift again the next 4-5 years to our permanent residence yet I want to get something which makes my wife's life easy w.r.t. storage and retrieval.

Is the good old wooden shelf the best or should I consider any other storage options such as one shared above.

[the_joker]

Originally Posted by fine69

Is the good old wooden shelf the best or should I consider any other storage options such as one shared above.

You should consider modular cabinets. You can add storage as you need them.

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by fine69

I recently moved to a new rented place and the kitchen doesn't have any shelfs, just a huge L-shaped slab & sink. So for storage purpose I was contemplating getting a carpenter and get some 2-3 storeys of shelfs made.

But then I recently came across this.

My objective is to spend the least as its a rented place & we'll shift again the next 4-5 years to our permanent residence yet I want to get something which makes my wife's life easy w.r.t. storage and retrieval.

Is the good old wooden shelf the best or should I consider any other storage options such as one shared above.

The one you mentioned above works well with modular storage and will need to be fixed for stability.

I will suggest that you go with the shelves and buy a few large good quality plastic baskets (rectangular) to keep them on those shelves. That way it will be easier to retrieve the things from deeper ends of shelves. You can also install shutters made of pre-laminated boards to make them look tidy if you wish to spend some more. I guess 4-5 years is decent time period for spending some money.

[rkg]

Iam looking for a lawyer for preparing the sale deed and also for registering a flat at K R Puram sub registrar office. Suggestions for a good lawyer

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by fine69

I recently moved to a new rented place and the kitchen doesn't have any shelfs, just a huge L-shaped slab & sink. So for storage purpose I was contemplating getting a carpenter and get some 2-3 storeys of shelfs made.

But then I recently came across this.

My objective is to spend the least as its a rented place & we'll shift again the next 4-5 years to our permanent residence yet I want to get something which makes my wife's life easy w.r.t. storage and retrieval.

Is the good old wooden shelf the best or should I consider any other storage options such as one shared above.

At times the carpenter tends to be more expensive than a bought out item. So, get a quote from a carpenter (be sure to add at least 30% to it). Then get quotes from a few modular kitchen suppliers. Once you get the quotes you can decide.

One thing that you need to keep in mind, is that the shelves will have quite substantial weight on them, so the shelves have to be anchored to the wall with bolts that have at least 50kg load bearing.

Another thing is whether you would like to take the shelves and install them in your new residence. In that case a modular kitchen option is better as these come in fixed range of sizes. You can always uninstall the shelves from their present location and re-install them at a new location.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

Hi Bhpians,

I have my house ceiling leaking in the last rainfall. Leak is from the junction of roof and the vertical wall.

Need your guidance in fixing the solution for the same. Any root causes to be explored to find a permanent solution. If the leakage increases, it might damage my wardrobes.

This is the first time I am seeing and experiencing the same.

As pointed out by Vishyvish, the water gets in from the cracks, which can be seen in the exterior.

I experienced a similar problem in a store room in my yard. The following solution worked well:

1. Scrub the roof with wire brush and then clean it thoroughly with broom, 3-4 times. No dust shall be left.
2. Sprinkle water on the roof with bucket & mug or with a garden hose. Not too much water; just enough to wet the floor and the cracks. The idea is to moisten the cracks.
3. Let the water dry in 15-20 minutes. Now the cracks shall have no water but the inside surface of the cracks is not be thirsty now; it will not absorb any liquid that we put subsequently.
4. Mix sodium silicate with cement to make a free flowing thick slurry. With a brush, apply this slurry on the cracks and try to push the slurry into the cracks.
5. Apply 2-3 times. In the end, you shall see the crack fully filled with the slurry.
6. Make little quantity of slurry at a time because the slurry starts thickening with time.
7. This work shall be carried out in daylight without hot sun; just after sunrise or just before sunset. Not in the hot sunny afternoon. Evening is better because the fresh chemical does not get exposed to hot sun for next 12 hours.
8. You will get the Sodium Silicate in chemical shop at around 20 to 40 Rs / lit. 5 lit shall be sufficient even if you have large number of cracks in 1000 sq ft roof.
9. The work may take around 2 hours. So start 2 hours before sunset.
10. Before doing this, make sure that the cracks and the roof and the walls have dried up in the hot summer. If it rained recently, wait for at least one sunny week.
11. This works well. In the course of time, if the cracks widen, you will need to do this again. So take a water leak test in every summer.

[DieselFan]

I recently purchased a Anu solar water heater. When I asked for a warranty card from the manufacturer the dealer tells me that the manufacturer is not providing the same. He is willing to provide the details of phone number of the sales manager of Anu for me to speak to him. This looks fishy. Can someone who has recently purchased a Anu solar water heater validate this please. If you have indeed got a warranty card from Anu can you send me a photo/scanned copy of the same on a PM.

thanks,
DF

[fine69]

Thanks all for your inputs! While I could spend more money and get the modular cabinets but I'm not going to use them in our new home. The DIY bug bit me off late so I was thinking why can't I simply get the wooden boards from outside and use L-shaped steel brackets (like below) and fix them.





The maximum load that one shelf would need to bear would be, say, 10-12 kgs at max. Is there a reason a DIY project wouldn't work here?

I'm guessing some good screws, L-shaped metal brackets and wooden boards should be all that I'd need for this, what say?

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by fine69

I'm guessing some good screws, L-shaped metal brackets and wooden boards should be all that I'd need for this, what say?

Absolutely should/can be done DIY. You need to plan for holders for ladles and other cooking utensils. So hooks on the shelves to hang these will be beneficial. Also the flat shelves should have a sort of railing or ledge to prevent things falling off.