Make Your Home Monsoon Proof

The monsoon season, experienced every year, inevitably damages both the exteriors and interiors of homes and apartments, leaving the walls drab and shabby to the dismay of the home owners. The colour of the walls accentuates the look of a house.

We asked the experts at Kansai Nerolac Paints for some tips on keeping the houses monsoon ready and this is what they had to offer:

Reasons for damage

The primary reason for damage to the interior wall is the inferior quality paint used on the exterior of the property. Concrete allows water and moisture to seep in, which ultimately gets collected within the wall. This leads to a build-up and creates damp patches along the interior wall surface.

Further, the wall paint may start to peel or develop blisters. In the longer run, this tends to become a breeding ground for algae and fungus. The choice of exterior paint is crucial as it protects the external wall by preventing rain water and moisture from entering the concrete. It should be well-equipped to fight the vagaries of the weather.

How to be monsoon safe

Before painting
· Any plastering, repairing and waterproofing should be done before painting. All structural cracks must be open in V-shape filled with white cement/cement-based plasters and any leakage should be stopped before painting.
· Before undertaking any interior painting, have your walls scanned with a moisture meter to detect if there is any moisture left behind on the walls.
· Remove all hardware from doors and windows, loosen lighting fixtures or mask them with tape or paper.
· Dust walls thoroughly with a dry mop. Use roller, brush or spray gun to paint large surfaces.
· Choose paints which are ‘lead free’ and ‘low’ or ‘zero VOC’ as it will ensure the well-being of your loved ones and will also help you use the rooms while they are being painted.

While painting
· Before applying the first coat, all the wall surfaces should be evened with a quality primer/putty.
· For best results, apply 2-3 coats of paints, rather than one thick coat.

Maintenance tips
· Wash walls with a soft sponge and mild detergent twice a year for best results. For distempered walls, minimum pressure should be applied while cleaning.
· If any dampness is observed, check for the source and rectify it immediately to prevent flaking and peeling of paint.
· Remove stains and dust from a painted surface with a clean white cloth or sponge dipped in mild detergent. After cleaning, wash away all traces of detergent and wipe dry.
· Never use water for spot cleaning unless the wall is totally free from extraneous dust.

Mr Anuj Jain, Director, Sales and Marketing (decorative), Kansai Nerolac Paints, went on to share that years of research in Japan and India has led to the introduction of Nerolac Excel – a premium exterior emulsion by Kansai Nerolac Paints equipped with unique weather defence formula. This Japanese technology keeps your walls looking as good as new through high humidity, torrential rain and scorching heat.

For exterior walls, Nerolac Excel’s weather defence formula acts as an anti-UV agent, deflecting the harshness of the sun. It also forms an outer membrane that repels water before it can permeate down to the inner layers.

For the interior walls, Nerolac Impressions Eco-Clean works the best as it is a No-VOC paint, and is devoid of the strong odour that most paints emit. It is also anti-fungal and bacteria resistant, making it an ideal option for the monsoons. Other qualities include washability, excellent sheen and best-in-class visco-elastic properties.

We also asked Mr Jain about the cost of painting a 200 square yard house. As per his estimates, the cost of painting a 200 square yard house would be Rs 7500 (the cost of material) plus Rs 7000-8000 (labour, miscellaneous expenses), if we go for Nerolac Excel. However, for Excel Total, the cost of material would shoot up to Rs 9800.

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