Houses adorned with creepers might give a feeling of getting close to nature for many, but these creepers actually prove to be a bane for the structure itself, building experts argue. Nemmani Sreedhar takes a look
Houses adorned with creepers might look good but these creepers actually prove to be a bane for the structure, building experts say.
From the constant presence of moisture and the small animals and birds that these creepers inadvertently attract, the structure deteriorates faster. The first thing that one should do to safeguard a structure is to remove the creepers clinging to it, construction material expert L.H. Rao says. One can often see the strains caused by the growth of vegetation, be it a creeper or a plant in a small crack in the building and these stains herald a slew of problems for a structure.
A badly stained building is not just an eye sore; it also means that the building is actually ‘bleeding.’ The stains could be because of excessive leakage of water, corrosion stains or the action of atmospheric elements resulting in ‘lime leaching’ that results from the reaction of calcium present in cement and atmospheric carbon dioxide.
NEMMANI SRIDHAR
