ITS RAINING, FINALLY! I know for several of us up here in the Ogden Valley that is what was going through our heads this week. This has been a very dry season for all of us up here in the Eden, Huntsville, Liberty area, and a scary one as well with the Avon fire last month. Many people love to sit back and enjoy the rain snuggled up with your favorite blanket, hot coco and watch as the rain falls and take in the smell of fresh rain and some nights enjoy a beautiful lightening show all thanks to mother nature and the stunning views up here in the Ogden Valley. There are several things you can do and steps to take to make sure your home is rain season ready so you can sit back and relax and not have to run around looking for buckets to catch water from a leaky roof or a sump pump to pump out your flooded basement. Some of these steps also help prep your home for ole man winter as he hits the Ogden valley unexpectedly at times as well. So make a checklist and don't overwhelm yourself with thinking it all has to get done now or even by yourself. The Ogden Valley has an amazing community that is always willing to help out.
Start outside:
Check your gutters.
If you house happens to be surrounded by trees or even just a few trees in your neighbor's yards you can almost be certain that your gutters are full of leaves, twigs and even some branches. These can cause your gutters to become clogged, unclogging them will make sure as all that rain runs off your roof it does pool up and cause water damage. If you have teenagers in your area i bet one or two of them wouldn't mind a little extra spending money and would climb up there to clean them out for you so you don't have too ;) they might even find some toys as well.
Check your roof.
Another sign that there might be water damage done or the possibility that some can occur is if your shingles are loose, wilted or even missing. You will want to get those replaced immediately. Another sign that there is water damage is if there are soft spots on your roof when you walk and can fill it sink in a little most likely there has been water damage and the wood under neath needs replacing. Be careful walking around though you don't want to pull a Tim Allen from Home improvement and fall in ;) check the foundation around your roof for any cracks as well.
Move inside:
Check your walls.
This is something you can even do while sitting on the couch catching up on your favorite TV shows. Look around on your walls especially up by the ceiling around windows and doors. Look for bubbled paint, or peeling paint. This is a sign that at some point water was able to get in and pooled there.
Check your windows and doors.
Your windows and doors should close and open properly, if when closed there are any gaps you are going to want to seal them. You can buy sealant at any home depot or lowes and do it yourself if you want (this is another thing that needs to be done to prep for winter)
Check your windows for any cracks or breaks and get them replaced so if that wind blows the rain in sideways you aren't getting wet as well.
Check your basement.
Nothing can be more unpleasant during a heavy rainfall than going downstairs and being greeted by several inches of cold water in your basement. Call a professional and have them come check your basement before rain season, they will be able to identify any problem areas and recommend how to best get it fixed. If you are worried about flooding you can take precautions to keep your valuable's dry and safe. Make sure there are no electronic things on the floor's, if things are in boxes put them on shelves or possibly re-package those boxes into plastic tubs, they are a little more water proof than boxes but not 100% guarantee that water can't get in.
Flooding.
Yup i said it, its like that forbidden word you don't say, like walking into an ER and saying man it is quiet! But unfortunately it is a thing and one that no matter how prepared for you are, it can still cause a lot of damage and hurt. If you happen to live in an area that is prone to flood or even a flood area you can prepare with sand bags for that massive flood. Keep mops around the house, you can even plant vegetation around your home and have your lawns landscaped so they are on a graded slant AWAY from your home, invest in a wet vacuum or a sump pump. This are things that will help with small flooding from so much rainfall all at once.
Once you have prepped your home for a rainy season, sit back and relax, listen, and smell the fresh rain as it falls. Take in the beautiful views of the Ogden Valley, you might even get to enjoy some amazing lightening and thanks to the wonderful mountains the surround Eden, Huntsville and Liberty the thunder isn't too bad as well.