The impact of prolonged water accumulation is devastating for many structures, including garden sheds. Moist and water leaks trigger problems for the shed, especially if it is of wood. With careful maintenance and proper planning, your garden shed and the inside contents can enjoy a long, quality lifespan.
One of the most crucial aspects of this maintenance is waterproofing which keeps the shed impermeable throughout the year. This holds even if the weather is favourable, as it does not ensure protection from the upcoming rains or humid days.
When it comes to pre-built or pre-cut wooden sheds, one can argue that they are already handled and coated with all-season primer paint. Well, the fact is that the amount of coating could be light and might not sustain itself for a long time. This is why waterproofing your shed is ideal.
Obviously, you will have to spend some extra money on this proactive procedure. However, you will have a sigh of relief that this investment can protect your garden shed from all kinds of water issues. Read on as we detail the benefits of waterproofing a garden shed.
Increased Safety for the Stored Items
For garden sheds, water is a foe. Through accumulation or flooding, not only can water harm the edifice, resulting in rot and mould, but also can seep inside to damage the stored items. If the shed is made up of wood, this risk of water damage is indispensable, as wood is highly susceptible to it.
Even water-resistant wood varieties such as cedar are not inherently waterproof. It is essential for you to take preventive or precautionary measures to keep rainwater from coming inside the shed and spoiling all the stored items.
Some of the commonly ignored but critical side effects of long-standing water damage in sheds, especially those made up of wood, are mould, rusty tools, and decayed structures.
You may think that waterproofing is not required in drier regions. However, the fact is that water is still a risk factor. Some amount of rainfall would be inevitable even in these areas and even some amount of moisture can harm both the shed and its contents.
Increased Lifespan of the Shed
This is a no-brainer! Waterproofing garden buildings ensure that they last for a prolonged period. Garden sheds made up of wood or metal, no matter how sturdy they are, tend to weaken with unceasing exposure to water.
It is only concrete that does not suffer from any damage due to water. However, it is a positive factor contributing to the growth of moss and mould and inviting insects such as termites only to ruin your valuable shed.
In short, water can deteriorate the shed’s foundation over time, which can eventually result in a short life of your shed. Water control and moisture control are indispensable to boost the lifespan of your garden shed.
Increased Resale Value
An effective waterproofing mechanism applied to log cabins, garden buildings, or wooden sheds makes them preferable and promising to interested buyers who then are ready to pay more than what you might have expected. On the other hand, buyers will be cautious if they spot any signs of water damage.
If you waterproof your shed, you are assured of no mould or leakage issues. Otherwise, these problems are detrimental not only to your shed but also to its overall value.
Reduced Power Bills
The mechanism or material for waterproofing can be an insulating one. It keeps most moisture at bay, makes your summer less sticky, and makes your winter warmer. In other words, your investment directly results in high savings due to reduced power bill amount apart from yielding good returns. However, you need to waterproof your garden shed the right way.
No or Less Health Issues
It is obvious that mould, rot, and water accumulation can result in a couple of health issues or diseases such as respiratory ones and water-borne ones.
Due to water, mould and mildew accumulate to result in unpleasant odours and irritation of your skin, nose, throat, and lungs. Complicated asthma condition is a common health complication induced by mould.
Instead of adversely affecting your well-being and putting your loved ones in danger, it is wise to waterproof the sheds and other edifices in the garden.
Conclusion
Nobody can deny the fact that waterproofing a garden shed needs focus, effort, money, and time. Initially, it might seem a tedious task, but eventually, it will benefit you (high returns on investment), the shed (long lifespan), and the items stored inside it (good condition). What else do you want from a protective investment?
We strongly recommend acting now instead of waiting for any sign of damage to become visible on the shed or for your next upkeep activity. By knowing the benefits of waterproofing, you are assured that the shed in your garden can last longer.
We hope that this post will motivate you to dedicate some time to improving the condition of your garden shed so that it can give you the most of it for several years.