They’re saying that this year’s El Niño is going to be one of the strongest on record, and Southern Californians are scrambling to get ready. With the prospect of high winds and torrential rain you could be facing serious damage to your home and serious personal inconvenience. If you’ve not yet consider this possibility and made the necessary preparations here is a list of 6 items that will help you prepare for the possibility of the worst El Niño we’ve ever experienced.
1. Recaulk Windows
The caulking around your windows helps prevent water from penetrating your home. Over time the caulking will start to deteriorate. Scrape away any cracked or mildewy caulking and replace it with a new layer of caulk to ensure your windows are properly waterproofed.
2. Emergency Provisions & Information
Since we live in an earthquake zone, hopefully, you have prepared for that possibility with a stock of emergency provisions. If not, check out our previous blog on 10 Earthquake Readiness Tasks For Your Southern California Home, and stock up on batteries and flashlights should the power go out, provisions for at least three days and, most importantly, check out Los Angeles County’s website, Are Your Ready For El Niño, and make use of its invaluable information, free downloads and apps.
3. Inspect Your Roof
Inspect your roof to check for signs of leaks and damage. On the outside of your home, look for curling or missing shingles and sagging ridge lines. Inside your attic, look for dark discolorations in the wood. These discolorations indicate that the roof has water damage or mold. Either way, these problems indicate that your roof has been compromised and is in need of repair. If your roof shows signs of problems, have it fixed before the rains begin.
4. Invest In Tarps
Even if your roof isn’t showing signs of an active leak, your roof may still develop a problem when the rain starts. If this happens, you’re going to want a tarp on hand to cover the hole until roofers can come solve the problem. It’s better to be prepared than to try and remedy the problem after it happens.
5. Clean Your Gutters
Your gutters are an important part of your home’s drainage system, which means that clogs can lead to water leaks and damage. Cleaning out your gutters before El Nino arrives will help ensure that your home can flush out extra water. To clean your gutters, you’ll need a bucket, ladder and hand trowel. Use the hand trowel to scrape out the leaves and other debris that’s been gathering in your gutters since the fall, and dump the leaves into the bucket as you go.
6. Slope Your Yard Away From Your Home
You may need help from a contractor for this one. If the soil in your yard slopes toward your home, this means water will run toward your home’s foundation. It’s important for the soil to slope away from your home so that the water in your yard will run toward the street.
Making this kind of change could involve transporting a lot of soil from one location to another, so speak to an expert before you get started.
Tashman Home Center
If you’re not yet ready for El Nino, it’s time to get started. Stop by Tashman Home Center for all your batteries, buckets, tarps and more! We have over 20,000 items in stock every day and if you need something special, we’ll be happy to order it. We also have a knowledgable staff of trained professionals that can help you find the products you need and offer advice on how to prepare you home for El Niño. You can also shop for supplies through our Online Ecommerce store. Visit our online store at http://www.tashmanhomecenter.com.
For much more information on El Niño and “what you can do” and “how you can do it, ” please check out LA Time El Niño Preparedness.