Keep Your Luxury Villa Monsoon Ready With These Handy Tips

For the last couple of years, the monsoons have played hide and seek with us. Delays in the rain and a shorter cycle meant that it just did not feel like a typical Goa monsoon. This year, however, things seem to be different. Thanks to a cyclone on the west coast, the pre-monsoon showers started precisely on June 1, with the actual monsoon season starting today. We’re not sure about you, but we love the rain in Goa. The smell of wet mud and the sound of rain falling through the trees makes for the most romantic setting. However, if you’re afraid that for all its beauty, the rain may actually be a dampener, especially when it comes to keeping your beautiful luxury villa or Portuguese house in Goa dry, then we have a few handy tips that might help.

Key Takeaways

•Sealing up windows and doors is an excellent way to keep the house dry and keep the rain away. If the wooden frames are to be preserved, the humidity that causes them to warp should be kept in check using wood treatment.

•It helps to clear drains and gutters of mud and leaves before monsoon season so that water does not collect around the villa.

•Cutting down tree branches that hang over one’s house protects the roof tiles, windows, as well as electric or internet cables against storm damage.

•Weatherproofing electrical boxes, sockets, and meters is crucial to avoiding short circuits or power outages that may happen due to heavy rains.

•Spray the wood with water-repellent or paint to prevent it from wetting through and warping due to humidity.

•If you are storing rugs and carpets, keep them in waterproof bags, and if it’s an old rug or carpet, sprinkle some baking soda and vacuum it away so that any trapped humidity will be taken out.

•An entryway system (rubber mats, a coat stand, and towels) should be installed to prevent the rainwater from getting inside the house.

•Luxurious and traditional houses (like Goan villas and old Portuguese houses) can be protected from the damage caused by moisture if these simple and quite economical preparation steps are followed.

Rain-Proof Your Windows And Doors

Apart from preventing rain from sneaking through closed windows and doors at your property in Goa, the main concern here is to prevent moisture from entering. Moisture in your villa can get soaked up by furniture such as sofas and beds, making for a very unpleasant experience. You will want to ensure that window seals are in place, and doors bind properly to their threshold. Because moisture has the ability to make wood expand, it is best to have your wooden doors and window frames treated as well.

Unclog Drains And Gutters

Drain and gutters usually run the exterior of the house under roofs and window frames. You may even have a gutter out by the gate, and it is crucial that all these exit points be checked for blockages. Through the year, mud and leaves may accumulate in these outlets, and if they go unchecked, you may end up with a free, albeit unintentional swimming pool! It’s best to unclog any drains or gutters that surround your house as early as possible.

Trim Your Trees

This important bit of rainproofing usually goes unchecked until it is too late. With the monsoon comes torrential rains and winds. Unsteady and loose branches are likely to break off trees and cause unnecessary damage to your property in Goa. Tiled roofs, windows, and most importantly, electric and internet cables usually fall victim to dislodged branches. To prevent these sudden accidents, you will want to ensure that all the trees on your property have been properly manicured. Nowadays with property management services like those offered by Kasu Luxury Villas, some homeowners can rest assured knowing that their gardens are taken care of.

Shield Your Electric Boxes

While we’re on the topic of electric cables, it would be prudent to shield any and all external electric sockets, junction boxes, cables, internet relays, or electric meters that may be exposed to the elements. In most cases, important fixtures such as fuse boxes and main switches are enclosed in panel boxes, however, its best to make sure that they are properly sealed off and closed in order to prevent water from entering them and causing an outage.

Take Care Of Wooden Furniture And Antiques

Many old (and modern) Portuguese houses in Goa have wooden furniture and antiques that tend to suffer during the rains. This is because they absorb moisture causing them to warp. The best way to prevent this from happening is to use a waterproof wood treatment to ward off moisture. It will also nourish the wood, and keep those beautiful antiques going strong for generations to come.

Avoid Using Rugs Carpets

Rugs can be a great way to add colour and a bit of flair to a room, but during the monsoon, it’s a magnet for moisture. Before the monsoon season, it would be best if you tuck away rugs to avoid them getting wet and eventually mouldy. Storing them in waterproof plastic sheeting is a great way to ensure that they are safe for the next few months. In the event that you have a large carpeted area, however, you can use a sprinkling of baking soda every couple of weeks to soak up any moisture that may have gotten in.

Don’t Carry Water Into Your House

Finally, the most basic tip (although it is almost always forgotten) is to not carry water into your house. You probably don’t realize it, but every time you return from out with your rainwear, umbrellas, or rain shoes, you are tracking water and moisture inside your house. Now while you can’t prevent going out, you can prevent bringing water back by making the entrance of your home monsoon ready. Employ the use of heavy-duty rubber mats to deal with wet shoes, and keep a coat stand for rain gear and umbrellas. You can also hang a couple of towels as well to dry off as soon as you enter and avoid walking through half the house dripping water everywhere.

With these basic tips, you’re sure to have an enjoyable and hopefully dry monsoon in your beautiful luxury villa in Goa. Do you have any tips that you’d like to share? Drop us a line in the comments section below.

Also Read: Living in Goa During Monsoons  & What Goa Eats During The Monsoons 

FAQS

How do I prepare my luxury villa in Goa for the monsoon season?

Close and seal the windows and doors properly first. Take care of the drains and the gutters also. Trim the trees that may be a little too close. Weatherproof the points where power connections are made. Treat your wooden items so they withstand the humidity, and keep some absorbent rugs and towels handy at the door so that your floor doesn’t remain damp after you’ve stepped on the wet one outside.

How can I prevent moisture damage to wooden furniture during monsoon?

Apply some waterproofing to furniture before the wet season is about to come. This protects wood against humidity and even the risk of warping. Apart from this, the furniture can be made beautiful again (antique or new) by nourishing the wood because of the treatment, so that it remains in the best state for a long period of time.

Why is it important to clean gutters and drains before monsoon?

It is normal for muck and debris to build up during the entire year in drains and gutters. If not taken care of, these will allow the water to spill out and remain on/around the premises, which can cause damage.

How can I protect electrical fixtures in my villa from rain damage?

Protect the electrical sockets, the junctions, the cables, and also the meter boxes as much as possible, and have your fuse boxes and also the panel boxes properly sealed to avoid the situation of water dripping on the wires and causing a fault or power cut, respectively.

Should I remove rugs and carpets from my villa during monsoon?

Definitely, the floors are so wet during monsoon seasons that one is sure to leave watermarks if one walks directly from the outside onto the indoor ones. The carpets and rugs can hold the moisture and start growing mold if not checked regularly. They can also be kept in good condition by placing them inside a sealed plastic bag during rainy periods. Alternatively, you may even consider putting some baking soda powder over carpets in the fitted area to absorb excess moisture every few weeks.

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