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When rainwater starts seeping through your walls, it’s more than just a damp patch — it’s a warning sign.
Every rainy season, I get calls from frustrated homeowners across Johannesburg saying the same thing: “My wall’s wet again — I’ve painted it three times, and it still leaks.” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The truth is, fixing a leaking wall isn’t about covering it up. It’s about finding where the water is actually coming from — and stopping it properly. In this post, I’ll explain what causes these leaks, the mistakes people make trying to fix them, and how I handle them the right way so they don’t come back.
Most people assume the problem starts inside the wall. But in almost every case I’ve seen, the leak starts outside.
Rainwater can enter through:
In Johannesburg, where we get heavy afternoon storms, even small cracks can let in a surprising amount of water. Over time, that moisture travels through the wall, showing up as damp patches, bubbling paint, or that musty smell no one wants in their home.
I’ve seen it countless times — someone notices damp, heads to the hardware store, and buys a “waterproof paint.” It looks fine for a few weeks, until the next storm hits.
Paint might hide the symptoms, but it doesn’t stop water from getting in. In fact, once moisture gets trapped behind the paint, it can make the wall worse — blistering, peeling, and even damaging the plaster underneath.
Last month, I helped a client in Fourways whose lounge wall kept bubbling after every rain. He’d already painted it three times. When I checked the outside, I found a small crack along the parapet wall and blocked gutters overflowing directly onto that spot. Once we repaired the waterproofing and unblocked the gutter, the wall dried completely within a week.
Every job starts with one goal — find the source. My team and I use a simple step-by-step approach:
The key is not to rush. Waterproofing works best when it’s done systematically, not as a quick patch job.
If you’ve already tried sealing or painting the area and it keeps coming back, that’s usually a sign the water’s entering from a hidden source.
Other red flags include:
These are signs you’re dealing with more than surface moisture — and that’s when a proper damp proofing inspection makes all the difference.
Here’s what I always tell homeowners after a repair: prevention is far cheaper than fixing water damage.
A few simple habits go a long way:
Most leaks I fix could have been prevented with these small checks once or twice a year.
If you’re dealing with a leaking wall from rainwater, don’t wait for it to spread. I offer free call-outs across most of Johannesburg — just send me a message and I’ll take a look. With the right approach, your walls can stay dry no matter how hard it rains.
