Rain as a part of nature can be both helpful and troublesome. It can nourish living things, but it can also bring various levels of damage.
At its worst, excess rain leads to flooding and water damage. Repairs from water damage can be costly, as it can damage ceilings, walls, other important structural or supporting features and could even cause an electrical hazard if wires are near where it floods.
It could also mean irreparable damage to certain treasured belongings such as furniture, electrical devices, or paper goods like books and photos. Water where it shouldn’t be will also cause damp and then the growth of mould, which can be hazardous to health, especially for those with respiratory issues.
With that said, making sure your property is prepared to deal with any heavy rainfall is something you should make a priority. So here’s what you can do to make sure your house is ready to resist the rain…
Make Sure You Clear Your Gutters
Your gutters are one of your home’s main protections against rain. They work to direct water away from your property.
In order to make sure your gutters can properly deal with rain, you should regularly check and clear them of any leaves, twigs and other debris. Doing this will prevent build up that could lead to blockages. A blocked gutter can’t function, and water will overflow back towards your property, causing water damage to walls, foundations and more.
Once your gutters are clear, check that your downpipes (the pipe that comes from the gutters down to the floor) are clear and direct water a reasonable distance away from your home.
Prioritise Proper Drainage Around Your Property
Once gutters are clear, you’ll also want to make sure that the water coming from them has somewhere to go. This is usually your external drainage system, designed to prevent excess water from pooling around your property.
Regularly inspect these drains to make sure they are siphoning water properly; they may have the same issue as your gutters and have leaves and debris blocking them. If you can’t fix this problem yourself because the blockage has become too deep, consider hiring drain experts to inspect your problem.
These experts can use professional techniques such as drain jetting to powerfully and effectively unblock your external drains.
Plumbing Issues
Excess rain water and blocked drains can cause water to back up and lead to flooding both inside and outside of your home.
Regularly clean and clear all drains, prevent excess debris entering them by using solutions such as strainers. Inspect for leaks and weak spots too, as these may worsen under a surge of heavy water flow.
Whilst you can try a few home remedies, such as pouring boiling water to try and clear a blockage, using a plunger, drains snake, baking soda or other chemical solutions, if a blockage inside or outside your home is too severe for you to fix, don’t hesitate to call local drain cleaners.
It’s essential to call out professionals as soon as you know you need one, as early repairs can save you a lot of time and money as well as prevent worsening damage.
Check Your Roof
Your roof is one of your most important barriers for preventing rain from getting into your home, so inspect it in any way you can.
A combination of getting a close up look with a ladder, taking a simple step back from your house to see if you can notice any problems from afar, and even inspecting it from the loft inside is recommended for a thorough assessment.
You may notice damaged roof tiles, holes, cracks, or leaks. So never neglect your loft and roof area. Holes can also lead to birds getting in, so if you can hear them loudly chirping in the morning you may need to inspect your roof for holes or nests.
As most people use lofts for storage, you don’t want your belongings succumbing to water damage. So if you can’t fix things from the inside, consider hiring a professional to fix your roof, since it’s a potentially dangerous job that involves working from height on an uneven surface.
Final Thoughts
Roofs, gutters, and drains are your main line of protection from rain. If you dread every time it rains heavily, it might be time to assess this issues or get a professional to do it for you.
They may also have additional recommendations and identify problems unique to your property, so it’s always worth the investment to keep your property watertight.
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