Preparing your home for the rainy season

Gauteng summers are traditionally the time of dramatic thunderstorms, summer rains that relieve the hot days and leave the gardens revived. That said, there’s also nothing like a thunderstorm to wreak havoc on your home – if it’s not properly protected.  

As much as spring cleaning forms an integral part of preparing the inside of your home for the summer, it’s equally important that you have done all the necessary checks outside, to ensure that you mitigate any change of damage from ferocious weather – bearing in mind that insurance is unlikely to cover the costs of normal wear and tear.  

The first place to start is in the garden. Take note of any large trees that have branches that are likely to become heavier due to rain saturation. Chances are these huge branches that will become too heavy for the tree to hold, and break off, causing major damage to your roof.  

In addition, it is essential to check the roof itself twice a year, looking out for tell-tale signs of damage such as cracks along the ridge of the roof, metal flashing that has holes or rust as well as missing or loose tiles, all of which will need to be replaced immediately. Failure to do so can lead to indoor leaks.  

As such, signs that your home may have an indoor leak are damp marks or bulges on the ceiling. Since the leak cannot be repaired until the source is located, the best plan of action is to call in a roof maintenance professional, who will repair the leak before it is exacerbated by heavy rain. Check that doors and windows are sealed properly too, as this can also be a source of indoor leaks.  

Roof gutters are an essential gatekeeper between your home and summer storms. It is crucial to ensure that all gutters around the perimeter of your roof are draining effectively if not, it can cause water to back up under your roof. In addition, check for granules in gutters, the presence of granules shows that your roof coating needs to be resealed.  

Gutters also prevent the build of moisture and mold on the roof. It is therefore important to check that gutters have not become blocked with leaves and other foliage; that they remain tightly fitted and have not come loose and the water is flowing in the right direction, downwards down the spout.  

Final words of advice include checking that the insulation is in good repair. Insulation is the way the home balances the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the home. Managing roof insulation is also a way to prevent roof damage.