What to do before the next storm? We have experienced a huge amount of rainfall in the last couple of weeks and it has led to substantial flooding. We’ve seen a lot of property damage and many residents have now realised how undersized their stormwater systems are around their home.
Here are 3 ideas to make sure you are ready for the next heavy rainfall.
1 – The first and most important tip is to make sure that your stormwater system is clear. When it doesn’t rain for a while the majority of us ignore maintenance, especially the things we can’t see. To ensure you’re prepared for the next heavy downfall, a general stormwater check or test should be added to your regular maintenance schedule.
Getting your stormwater checked regularly is important in keeping your home safe. You can do these tests yourself with a regular garden hose and buckets of water. What you’re looking for is where the water flows and if the system takes longer than expected to get to it’s destination. If it doesn’t seem right then an inspection and high pressure clear out may be a good idea.
2 – The second tip is to walk around your house and find the low points in your home, the areas that don’t drain well or slowly build up with water with no escape. Unfortunately a lot of us will now know exactly where those areas are. What we want to do is create an overflow/outlet so that we can divert water away from our home. If we can’t manipulate the land in our favour because of the slope of the property then a submersible pump and stormwater pit will need to be installed.
3 – The third idea is to upsize your stormwater system and install stormwater pits so that water can escape away from your home. The stormwater lines that have been installed at older homes in Sydney are undersized. A good installation will have clear out stormwater pits at every branch. These are used for both access for general maintenance and they’re also used as an overflow. The overflow level needs to be lower than the inside of your property so that no water builds up and enters your home.
There are a number of other causes of floods and sometimes unfortunately we can’t avoid property damages like we’ve seen in some parts of Sydney – this is often due to houses having been built in flood zones. However what you can do is understand how the water runs on your property so that hopefully when the next storm hits you can manage the flow of water more effectively.
We wish everyone a quick recovery from the recent floods and we hope that you are receiving the support you need to get you back on your feet.
If you have any questions or need help preparing your home for the next storms then don’t hesitate to reach out to us on 1300 07 2019.
