SWEET HOME
Assistant professor Ratchot Chompunich
What to do if you want to angle the roof of your house to prevent leakage?
The steepness requirement of a roof depends on its materials and length. The following are the preferred minimum slopes for various types of roof, without aesthetic considerations:
- A 10 is typically recommended for houses with Roman tiles or corrugated sheets, but a minimum of 12 or 15 is preferred for ordinary houses.
- A 25 is recommended for house with Monier tiles (cement tiles), while a 35 is a safer option.
- A 5 is recommended for metal sheets, but a 10 degree is preferred.
Despite claims that reinforced concrete roof sheets do not need a slope at all, a 1:50 ratio is a good safety measure.
Technically, the steeper the roof is, the better the water will drain. However, even at the preferred degree, it does not give a full protection of leakage, but it will significantly reduce the chances. The proper use of aluminum foil to buffer the shingles will also reduce the leakage as well.
Any way to fix leakage between the window frames and the wall?
Apply silicone or acrylic resin to the joints of the outside frames. Although this is not solving the cause of the problem, it is the easiest measure and could last two to four years.
Another solution is to install weather strips above the windows to reduce the volume of rainwater on the wall. However, if this is not an option due to property limitations or other issues, you may install wall seals, which can be made with zinc sheets with one edge attached to wall above the windows and another folding downwards. The width of the sheets should be at least 15cm or as much as it could prevent rainwater dropping on the windows.
I think this should work at some degree. It might not prevent all the leakage but should reduce a significant amount of water. Lastly, use the gutter to divert the water away from the windows.
Assistant professor Ratchot Chompunich is an honorary secretary of the Association of Siamese Architects (ASA) and lecturer at Faculty of Architecture, Kasetsart University.
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