Here Comes El Niño!

As we all prepare for El Nino and the coming of the torrential rains, we must all make sure to have our ark building plans accessible. Beyond that, preparing your house, your yard/patio, your car and making sure your insurance is current- NOW- can be the best way to be ready for the impending doom.

Here are some things you can do to get your house prepared:

1. Fix your roof leaks before it rains. The dry air can cause shrinkage of the wood structures under the flashing and create expansion joints, which, in turn, can cause leaking. Make sure there is no debris under the flashing. The flashing should be directing the water down to the gutters.
2. While you are checking the roof, clean out those gutters. run a hose through them to make sure they aren’t leaking and are free of debris. You can spray the roof as well to make sure the flashing is doing its job. Make sure the gutters are tight up against the house.
3. Paint the exterior wood trim on your home. Cracks can allow water to penetrate the wood, causing dry rot and termite infestation.
4. Caulk around your windows as needed. Don’t want water getting into the cracks there either.  
5. If you are in a neighborhood susceptible to power outages, invest in a generator that kicks in when the power goes out. I mean, really, what would we do if we can’t charge our smart phones?
6. Back up all your electronics on a hard drive or the cloud. Those power surges can be nasty.
7. Do you need a sump pump? with enough rain, water can invade below grade areas such as basements and garages.
8. check your balconies and porches, make sure water is being directed AWAY from your home.
9. Make sure you have some emergency repair materials available such as tarps and sand bags. Store them somewhere dry.
10. Turn off your irrigation systems. No need to water. And if you do your neighbors will think you are a jerk.
11. Consider installing rain barrels to catch water from the downspouts of your gutters. You can use this water later. Your neighbors will think you are so clever.
12. Loosen the soil in your garden. It will absorb the moisture better. If you are a locavore and plant your own food, consider planting in raised beds so they don’t flood.
13. Make sure all your outdoor furniture is either stored, covered or secure. you can put planks under furniture to get them off the ground.
14. And lastly, remember that doing these things before the fact will be alot easier because the toughest time to deal with rain related issues is during the rainstorm. Not to mention that everyone else will be trying to find solutions at the same time. Pandemonium.

Stay dry and let’s hope that the drought is washed away this winter! That would be a helluvalotta rain but, hey, arks aren’t so bad. Let me know if you need a DIY plan for one.