With an increasingly volatile global climate, sudden and heavy rainfall can be devastating. Leaks and floods can cause catastrophic damage to buildings and the consequences, both financial and emotional, can be difficult to address.
In a time when unseasonal weather is becoming more common, we think it is best to have your property prepared at any time of the year in the event of a residential leak. We’ve provided some useful information and guidance here to help you and your family keep your home as safe and as waterproof as possible:
- Take time to wander around your property and identify where water could backup when there is sudden persistent or heavy rain. For example, your gutters and down pipes are not designed to hold lots of water in a short space of time. If they are blocked up with natural debris or rubbish, the rain will find it hard to drain away. Regularly check to ensure they are clear and ready for weather.
- Flat roofs on most properties can collect debris throughout the year and collect around roof drains during times of rain leading to a larger than expected collection of water, causing levels to rise and then flood down into any property.
- Examine your windows and doors for any gaps or areas where sealant or insulation is missing or lose, particularly with conservatory fixtures. Water can seep in through the smallest of gaps.
- Electricity is always a risk in bad weather. Ensure that any outside exposed electrical points around summer houses and deckings are well covered. Some electrical appliances are safer when raised and fitted to walls, preventing them being at ground level. If you are prone to flooding, raise your electrical sockets and always make sure your fuse boxis accessible.
- Any air vents, air bricks and drains should be securely closed and covered to avoid any water filtering through.
- If you have low placed windows, doors or access points, use sand bags or other flood barriers to barricade these areas minimising the risk of flooding.
- Finally, heavy rainwater can be pushed back through drains and pipes which lead out from your sinks and appliances. If you have a leaking or cracked pipe in your water system, this increased pressure can result in burst pipes, causing further major damage within your property.
As you can see above, there are many steps that you can take and precautions you can put in place to try and avoid water leaking or flooding into your home, but there are a couple of areas where you will not realise there is a problem until after the event, such as the pressure on your internal water pipes. When there is damage to any of your pipes, the pressure from extra water will only lead to more significant problems.
There are technological ways which can help to prevent this situation by having a residential leak detection system put in place. This is managed by way of multiple sensors, appropriately placed through your plumbing or property in order to monitor and detect for water leaks or problems and alert you. Not everything can be avoided but with water leaks so if you cannot see it, arrange to detect it.
For information on how we can help you secure your property from leaks and rain flooding, consult LeakDTech’s professionals now!
