Have you heard the quote that says... "Not all that glitters is gold" Well, this post talks about that. When we talk about renovations we often get excited about all those aesthetic changes that we will make, changing the floors, the tiling, replacing the old furniture... it sounds familiar to you, right? But what is there beyond the aesthetic? Today I explain you the benefits of a renovation, those that are not seen but are noticed when something starts to fail... shall we begin?
Pipe corrosion
Corrosion is the deterioration and wear of the pipe material caused over time by chemical reactions generated by its environment. Once corrosion begins, it gets worse over time, leading to a loss of the pipe wall thickness and eventually generating leaks. Corrosion also causes the release of contaminants into the chain, affecting the quality of drinking water.
There are some easy to check indicators that can help you identify if you have corrosion problems, amongst them: (1) the water pressure begins to drop, (2) the water has a funny taste and/or brown colour, there are stains in the toilet, sink or other sanitary elements.
If you are planning a refurnishment and live in a very old house, replacing the water pipes will improve the pressure inside the house. You will improve the quality of the drinking water supply and you will also avoid problems of possible water leaks that will later force you to break floors and walls again.
Blockage of drains and pipes
It is common that from time to time you may have problems with blocked drains and pipes at home caused by the accumulation of dirt inside the pipes (grease, soaps, hair and numerous other residues). This triggers mechanical failures such as blockages and flooding in your home. They are most common in the kitchen sink drain, dishwasher drain or washing machine drain. If you are renovating, make sure that the drain pipes are of the corresponding diameter to minimize the frequency with which this happens.
Water leaks
If you have water or humidity stains spreading across ceilings or walls, the cause could be water filtration. The most common points of leaks and water losses are faucets, the shower and the bathtub. No matter how small they may be, these leaks can filter through your home, affecting the lower floor, causing deterioration in walls, floors, ceilings and leading to the appearance of mould caused by the presence of humidity. Therefore, its repair must be carried out as soon as possible. The procedure is: (1) locate the leak and seal it, (2) ventilate the rooms very well so that it dries, waterproof and clean or repair the affected areas.
Insect proliferation
Some of the most common urban pests are ants, house centipedes, cockroaches, fleas, lice, mosquitoes, moths. They usually enter homes in search of food, many of them are created in areas of humidity caused by damp decaying wood, sewers, water wells, amongst others. Some can cause structural damages, although usually the worst damage is to health, and can even generate allergic reactions in some people.
Through a good renovation, it is essential to clean up water losses or leaks to prevent the growth of pests, in addition to properly sealing all points susceptible to growth, perfectly isolating all possible access points such as doors and windows, placing covers to the chimney draft and remove rotten wood.
Failures in the electrical installation
Short circuits in the garden that leave you without electricity every time it rains; appliances that, if you touch them with wet hands, cause small electric shocks due to lack of grounding; light keys that spark when pressed; unswitched keys that force you to get up when you are in bed to turn off the light instead of doing it comfortably in your bed as you should.
These are some examples of electrical installations that have become obsolete or have been very poorly planned.
In perhaps more visible aspects, it is also worth mentioning that when a home has been designed without knowing the use that was going to be given to each room, obvious failures arise such as a lack of plugs that force you to insert multiple connectors to supply your needs (overload electrical that could burn the wiring), visible wiring behind appliances such as TV, laptop cables that have to cross the entire room to reach an outlet, etc. It probably sounds familiar to you because it has happened to all of us at some point that the lack of planning prior to the design of the electrical system gave us no other option than to make quick fixes.
Energy Efficiency
A common mistake in renovations is not optimizing the energy efficiency of the home. This is a mistake since in the long run the financial savings you could have would pay for the investment you must make. And what price do you put on improving the quality of your life?
Good exterior carpentry, investing in heating and air conditioning, highly energy efficient appliances and, in general, insulation should be fundamental aspects to take into account.
Acoustic isolation
Maybe at some point you might even find it funny to be able to talk to your family while being in different rooms of your home, but let's admit that when you want privacy, the lack of acoustic insulation is a clear deficiency. And even more so when the person you listen to is not someone in your family, but a neighbour.
This is a very important aspect to consider during your renovation and there are cutting-edge solutions to improve acoustic insulation, from cladding or better known as plasterboard, to decorative panels that improve these aspects without the need for work.
Natural degradation due to aging of materials
For example, the deterioration of the joints of the shower floor or its coating can be a source of water leak towards adjacent walls or levels underneath.
Appearance of moisture in coatings
There are different sources of humidity: humidity due to filtration, humidity due to condensation, among others.
In addition to these few examples, we find numerous construction and finish pathologies that need to be assessed when carrying out a comprehensive renovation. As you can see, functionality becomes a very important aspect before focusing on aesthetics (which is no less important).
Don't miss related articles such as: 'Renovate your home or business intelligently: avoid deterioration and accelerated wear' or 'ECOLOGICAL INTERIOR DESIGN: 10 KEYS TO IMPROVE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF YOUR HOME'
I am Jimena Sarli, Interior Designer in Sitges, creator of the interior design studio LADY J. INTERIORS. We offer interior design and integral renovation services in Sitges and surrounding areas (Sant Pere de Ribes, Vilanova, Garraf, Gavà, Castelldefels).
