In
this article, we will very briefly consider some of the other major items of
maintenance that we should carry on to keep the building in good shape. Good
maintenance enhances not only the beauty and performance but also the useful
life of the building.
CLEANING OF PAINTWORK
How to Clean Paintwork?
Washing Paintwork
Washable
paints can be cleaned by washing with clean water. Soda, soft soap and other
alkaline substances are injurious to most paints. If at all they are used to
remove difficult stains, they should be highly diluted and rinsed off the paint
with clean water as soon as the dirt is removed.
Repainting
It
is advisable to repaint surfaces before the old paint disintegrates and while a
compact and continuous film still exists. The life of paint depends on its
quality. For example, today's exterior paints have been developed so that
frequent repainting of external surfaces of high rise buildings can be avoided.
They are costly but they remain intact and retain their brightness for a long
time. We should also choose the correct paint suitable for the exposure
condition. Thus, it is better to paint the underside of a wet area such as a bathroom and walls where dampness can penetrate with paints which can breathe
(such as cement paint).
Paints on Steelwork
Careful observation should be
made on painted grills, rolling shutters, etc. They should be regularly cleaned
with clean water. If any parts get rusted, it should be removed and the surface
repainted. Steel windows, if used in buildings, require special attention.
Also read: MAINTENANCE
OF FLOORINGS
MAINTENANCE OF DOORS
AND WINDOWS
How To Maintain Your Doors And Windows?
Both the woodwork and glazing
have to be regularly maintained.
Care of Woodwork
Most
woods, except teakwood, get deteriorated with time unless they are regularly
painted and kept free from water and direct exposure to the sun. Door frames adjacent
to wet areas such as bathrooms get affected by rot. Both dry and wet rots grow
in moist conditions. They can be prevented by proper ventilation and painting.
Similarly, doors and windows which are directly exposed to the sun split up due
to heating. Hence, these should be shaded and regularly painted.
Usually, panelled wood shutters or plastic shutters are provided as bathroom doors. The
underside of these wood shutters including the bottom edge is usually protected
by U-shaped aluminium sheets and painted with waterproof paint so that water
does not affect the bottom edge. This precaution is especially applicable to
flush doors for bathrooms. Stains and dirt on painted doors can be removed as
in painted walls.
Care of Glazing
While
putty glazing is used for ordinary wood, glazing with beads is usually carried
in teakwood. Both of these do not get damaged quickly but they should be
inspected at regular intervals. Putty glazing can get cracked with time.
Cleaning Glass in Doors and Windows
Glass
fitted to doors and windows should be cleaned regularly with clean tepid water.
Glass cleaning liquids are available on the market to remove dirt and stains. The less expensive version can be made by mixing 2 tablespoons of household ammonia or
white vinegar with 1.25 litres of water. This solution is put into a spray
bottle and applied with a sponge or rag. Wring them out thoroughly to avoid
drips. Start from the top and work downwards. A cotton swab or toothbrush can be
used to take dirt from corners.
Dry
the window with crumbled newspaper or paper towels or chamois. Wipe one side
horizontally and the other vertically so that if streaks are left we know which
side it is and can remove them. The streaks are to be removed by a soft, dry
cloth. Ordinary printed newspaper (with printer's ink) dipped in water is
considered a good material for cleaning windows and automobile glass.
MAINTENANCE OF SANITARY
APPLIANCES
How To Maintain Your Sanitary Appliances?
Discolouration
of fittings and growth of fungus and algae are the main problems. Sanitary
appliances (ceramic wares) need frequent cleaning to maintain them in good
condition and also to preserve their appearance. A solution of chloride of lime
(bleaching powder) in hot water will remove surface stains from a ceramic ware.
To restore the lustre of porcelain and glazed surfaces, a cloth moistened with
hot water and a little paraffin will be found very effective. Abrasive powders
or acid solutions are harmful to these surfaces. There are also a number of
ready-to-use chlorinated cleaning materials available in the market for
cleaning sanitary appliances. However, they are usually very costly. If the
sewage is to be treated by a septic tank, we should not use chemicals and
detergents that can kill the bacteria in the septic tank.
MAINTENANCE OF WATER SUPPLY TAPS AND FIXTURES
How To Maintain Your Water Supply Taps and Fixtures?
Taps
and other fixtures should be repaired as soon as they become defective. Taps,
chrome fittings, tubs, basins, wall tiles, etc. can be easily cleaned with
liquid ammonia in water (one tablespoon of ammonia to one litre, if water).
Materials for polishing metals are also available in the market. The sumps and
overhead water tanks should be cleaned regularly The overhead tank should be
kept well covered with no holes. Malarial mosquitoes breed in fresh water. If
the tank is exposed to sunlight algae which is harmful to human skin can grow
in unchlorinated water.
MAINTENANCE OF DRAINAGE
SYSTEM
How To Maintain Your Drainage System?
In
order to avoid nuisance and unhealthy conditions, soil and waste-disposal
systems must be kept clean as well as in good working order. The main items to
be looked after regarding the maintenance of the drainage system are discussed
further.
Fittings inside the Building
Water
taps, waste pipes (pipes from washbasin or sink to the floor trap), traps in
fittings, floor traps, gratings above floor trap, etc. should be examined
periodically by passing water through them and examining their performance.
Otherwise, they are liable to get jammed especially when the water supply is
not too good. Gratings in bathrooms require a frequent inspection as they are
liable to be clogged with hair, oil, etc.
If
drains are not working properly, drain cleaning compounds, which are available
in the market, should.be used to remove the block. Sometimes, physical methods
will be required to clean them.
Waste and Soil Pipes
These
pipes and their fixity to walls should be examined during the painting of external
walls. If fixings are damaged, they should be repaired. (Many of the pipes in
old buildings are AC pipes which are brittle but cheap. Nowadays, PVC pipes are
more often used in Class I and Class II buildings.) Wire balloons on the top
should be checked and replaced, if necessary.
Gulleys, Manholes, Manhole Covers
and Drainpipes
These
should be examined regularly and before the onset of the monsoon. The outlet to
the sewer should be checked so that backflow from the street sewer to the house
drain does not happen in the rainy season. Cockroaches that breed in dark sewers
and manholes should be destroyed by chemical sprays. There should be no
stagnant water in the drains to breed mosquitoes.
Roof Drainage System
The
roof drainage system should be inspected before the rainy season. Gutters,
especially (horizontally placed ones) must be cleaned and leakages repaired
before the onset of the rains. Any leak from the roof drainage system should be
identified and repaired during the first pre-monsoon rains.
MAINTENANCE OF SEPTIC
TANKS
How To Maintain Your Septic tanks?
For
efficient working of a septic tank, grease and slow decomposing matter, etc.
should not be put down the drains (a grease trap in the line is desirable).
Avoid drain-cleaning chemicals which can kill the bacteria in the septic tanks.
The
digested sludge should be removed when the depth of the sludge and scum exceeds
half the depth of the tank. A portion of the sludge should be left in the tank
to act as a seed for the fresh sewage. Adding 1/4 kg of brewer's yeast to the tank
will hasten the septic tank action if such action is dull. Warning signs of a
defective system include foul odours from the drains or the tank and also the
growth of lush vegetation over the tank. If water backs up in the drain, it
indicates clogging by sludge and scum.
MAINTENANCE OF WATER
SUPPLY SYSTEM
How To Maintain Your water supply system?
It
is very important that the water supply system should be maintained in a good and
sanitary condition. If the supply is from a municipal water supply line to a
sump, from the sump to an overhead water tank and from the water tank to the
various distribution points, then periodic draining, cleaning, drying and
whitewashing of the sumps at least once in 4 months should be carried out in
all public buildings (January, May and September may be chosen for this
purpose).
MAKING BUILDING
LEAKPROOF
How To Make your building leakproof?
Repair
of corrosion of RC roof due to corrosion of steel is explained in this article.
MAINTENANCE OF
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
How To Maintain Your Electrical System?
it
is advisable to have an ELCB trip switch in the electrical system of all
buildings. This will show up any earth leakage. Electrical switches, especially
those in the kitchen are liable to be clogged up by grits laid in switches by
small red ants. These need cleaning. Anti-ant chemicals for placing in switch
boxes are also available in the market. Bearings, condensers, regulators, etc.
of fans have to be attended to if their performance is poor. If the connecting
plugs of equipment especially of like high amperage like heaters, air conditioners, etc. are loose, they are liable to 'get heated up and burnt.
They should always be plugged in properly (tightly) or should be connected
through fused outlets. It is advisable to have phase-changing devices in the
electric supply system so that if one phase goes out, the connections can be
made to another available phase. Much savings in electricity can be made if we
use modern fluorescent lamps for lighting and capacitance type of regulators
for fans.
MAINTENANCE OF TALL
TREES NEAR BUILDINGS
How To Maintain Your Tall Trees Near Buildings?
Tall
trees that grow near the foundations of walls of a building can cause a lot of
trouble by sending their roots under the building to take away the moisture in
the soil. This can produce cracking of walls and flooring in the ground floors.
Trees that send their roots laterally cause more trouble than those that send
their roots downwards only. If large trees are allowed to grow near the
foundation, then trenches along the walls by the side of these trees should be
made and the roots should be cut and painted with chemicals (or coal tar) to
retard their further growth towards the building. Framed buildings with deep
foundations are less affected by tall trees than buildings with load-bearing
walls.
CONCLUSION
Regular
maintenance of buildings is necessary to keep them good in appearance and
performance. This is especially necessary for public buildings which are used by
many people and are to be maintained by a responsible agency. It is desirable
to have a schedule of items to be attended to so that those responsible for the
work can attend to them regularly without being told to do the necessary items
of work.
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