Home-coming through pitter patter

The rain in Spain might stay mainly on the plain, but in many of our cities, it’s everywhere creating quite a huge deluge that many homes are unable to handle. But there are certain things one can do at home to prepare for the rain, while hoping the municipality also works towards opening up those storm water drains.

Don’t let the outside in: Check your roof from the inside to be sure there are no leaks. Grab a torch and check the attic and windows for any potential problems. Any sign of water damage, dark spots and trails should be addressed by a professional.

Ensure that your roof is ready for the rains. Look for cracks along the ridge of your roof and where your shingles fold over. Inspect the valleys of your roof (areas with a downward slope).

Make sure that sheets metal flashing is not rusty.

Protect the outside of your home and store away garden furniture and tools.

Gutters are an essential part of your roofing system as it collects and funnels away water landing on the roof while stopping water from entering the home.

To reduce the risk of blockages, tight-fit a wire mesh or plastic caps for all open pipes.

You might want to consider cutting back any over-hanging trees as the autumn fall of leaves will most likely cause problems.

Garden equipment and power tools can be seriously damaged by wet weather. Pack away those shears in a plastic bag and cover the larger ones.

Garden furniture tends to bear the brunt of a heavy downpour. Try to apply a waterproofing treatment to wooden garden furniture. Or get faux wood... that does not soak!

If your barbecue lies outside on the patio, or terrace, consider a waterproof cover. Or store indoors to prevent rust from forming.

Prevent rain, wind and dirt coming into your home with rain bars and deflectors. Attach them to the bottom of a door to deflect rain and dirt. You can even try brush strip sealing to solve draught problems.

If you live in a flat, keep doors and windows shut, and be prepared to shut of either water or electricity mains.

If you live in an area that’s likely to flood, keep valuable items and documents in waterproof bags and store them upstairs or in high places.

Protect your home using sandbags. It helps keep the water out. Make sure everyone in your household knows where they are stored and how to use them. Sandbags have long been used to block doorways, drains and other openings into properties as well as to weigh-down manhole covers, garden furniture and to block sinks, toilet and bath drains to prevent water backing up. They can keep water out for short periods.

Before the next rain, try and increase the height of your doorway or entrance so that water does not get in.