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Good maintenance, the only way to keep your house attractive
12/21/2005
 

          Designing your dream house the way you want it is a relatively easy job. So is the construction. The difficult part is its maintenance. Here are some random thoughts on maintenance.
Woodwork
The external surface of windows must be painted with enamel paint to protect it from the sun's ultraviolet rays and rain. It does not matter whether the window is made of teakwood or any other wood. Polish will not sustain for long unless the window has an extended cover. Wood expands in summer and contracts in winter. It is a natural phenomenon. Do not mend the window unless the shutter refuses to close, as it will behave in the opposite way six months later. After a few seasons, the activity stops.
Do not use petroleum products to clean metal surfaces such as handles and hinges as the polish may get erased; brass fixtures turn black if the lacquer gets erased.
Painting
Though the manufacturer claims that the paint is washable, do not use detergent to wash the wall. Use clear water. Detergent will bleach the pigments in the paint and leave a patch of discoloration.
Flooring
Have you used marble or granite for flooring? Use a protective coat to preserve its shine and shield it from acid. Lime juice and tamarind will bleach the floor. Avoid using cheap black phenol and harsh detergents to clean the floor. Phenol may stain the floor and the detergent may bleach it.
Use plain warm water.
Do not use acid to clean the toilet tiles. Acid eats up the tile joint filler and eventually the water seeps through the joints and leaks. Do not use sulphuric acid to clean the toilet tiles. Try oxalic acid if the stain is stubborn.
Water pumps
Use automatic water-level controller in the overhead tank. It will ensure adequate quantity of water in the tank and prevent wastage of water. Use submersible automatic sludge pump in the basement rainwater tank. The pump stops automatically when the tank is filled. This will ensure that the basement does not get flooded.
Waterproofing
Waterproofing on the roof must never be harmed. Houseowners, as an afterthought, get clothesline, wash stone, door grills and shelters fixed by disturbing the waterproofing layer. Water certainly leaks through these points.
Pests
The best way to avoid insects from entering the house is by providing mosquito mesh to the windows and external doors. Remember, cockroaches and winged termites enter from windows. Smear `Chloropyriphos' to the cabinet surface facing the wall before fixing it to the wall. Termite growth in the gap can be avoided.
Cockroaches, lizards and rodents can be kept away by getting the nooks sprayed with chemicals once a year. Pest control companies offer annual maintenance contracts.
Gadgets
Gas leak alarm, smoke alarm and heat alarm save your house and you from unfortunate accidents. Infrared motion detectors save the house from intruders.
Much like your pet, your house needs attention, care and medication.
Day-to-day maintenance, attention to symptoms and immediate remedy will keep the relationship between you and your dear house going for generations.
Some pertinent questions:
Have you encountered any problem in constructing your dream house or in maintaining your property?
Are you stuck while planning or executing the plan to give chic interiors to your house?
Are you looking for help in maintaining your property better? If yes, our panel of experts are willing to help you and provide the solution.
Core words:
Paint external walls with enamel paint to protect them from ultraviolet rays and rain. Wood polish exposed to sun will not last long.
Shrinking and expansion of wood stops after a few seasons. Avoid petroleum products to clean metal surfaces. Otherwise, they will turn black. Do not use detergents to clean walls even if you have used washable paint. Phenol and detergents can stain or bleach the floor.
Use a protective coat for marble/granite floor. Do not disturb waterproofing at any cost. Fix mosquito mesh to windows.
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