Are the rains slowing down your city every year? Is everything always at a standstill? Breeze through life with these tips to prepare yourself for the rainy days.

It’s that time of the year again when the rain gods decide that it’s their turn to rain on your parade. The rainy season, paradoxically, is one of the most loved and detested seasons from among the rest. The increase in water content everywhere you look, and being forced into living with it, is what makes it difficult to like. But that’s also the foremost reason why people look forward to the rains; to look outside their window and sip on a hot beverage or to take in the petrichor emanating from the ground.

You surely want to enjoy that in the best possible surrounding. So why let anything under your control ruin something so idyllic? Simple observation skills are all you need. Here are some pointers to implement around your humble abode and garden area to keep them safe from the rains.

• EXTERNAL PREPARATION –
  • Roof –
    • Inspect the roof from ground level and check for any leakages, damages, ageing and cracks.
    • Check whether the tiling is in place and whether there are any cracks in the chimney. Loose tiling and cracks are congruent to direct exposure to intense weather conditions.
    • Look for damp patches in your loft that will help you prevent extreme leakages once the rains begin.
    • Make sure your television satellite dish is secured tightly to the roof.
    • Inspections of the roof must be done at least twice a year.
    • Outside light penetrating the roof shows that there is most probably an orifice that shouldn’t exist.
  • Gutters –
    • Gutters are meant to clear out water from the area. A clear gutter is the only way it is functional.
    • Keep the gutters clear from debris, dead leaves and other blockages by cleaning them weekly to avoid clogging.
    • Tight-fitting wire mesh traps leaves and dirt while allowing water through.
  • Garden space –
    • Trim any low hanging trees and creepers.
    • Clear out dead branches to prevent them from falling during the rains.
    • Garden equipment, tools and furniture can get extremely damaged in wet weather. Create suitable conditions to keep the furniture dry by keeping it inside or under a roof. You can also apply a waterproofing treatment to wooden garden furniture.

• INTERNAL PREPARATION –
  • Doors & windows –
    • Study your doors and windows and make sure they have secure sealing, and check if any repairs are required.
    • Fireplaces, skylights and other orifices or vents need to be scrutinised.
  •  Ceiling and walls –
    • Check for leakages and damp patches. They will most definitely reoccur and expand if they aren’t dealt with immediately.
    • Dark spots on the walls and ceilings could be moulds or condensation, and the underlying cause or leakage must be catered to.
  •  Draught proofing –
    • Door and window seals (brush, rubber etc.) help seal them against draught, light, smoke, odours, insects and dust.
    • They help retain heat inside the house too.
  •  Emergency kit –
    • Always keep an emergency kit well-stocked at home. Your kit should be easily accessible and should include:
      • Essential medication.
      • Flashlights and extra batteries.
      • Candles/oil lamps/battery operated lamps and plenty of matchboxes or a lighter.
      • Non-perishable, dry food and drinking water.
      • A list of useful phone numbers.
      • A battery-operated radio.
      • A first aid kit and a disinfectant.
      • Blankets.

• MISCELLANEOUS PREP –
  • Switch off your sprinkler system, if you have one.
  • Treat damp patches before they spread.
  • If you live on the ground floor, plan on accommodating most of your furniture to the highest space in the house, in the event of a flood.
  • Also, sandbags can be used during extreme flooding conditions. They act as a barrier by preventing water from entering for short periods of time. Using them along with plastic sheeting improves their utility.
  • Avoid using ladders during adverse weather conditions as it could prove to be fatal.
  • Keep valuables and documents safe in waterproof bags and store them in higher places inside the house.
  • Inspect your basement and check whether resealing is required in case there is water seeping in.
  • Buy tarpaulin to protect heavy household items that are difficult to move, like sofas and beds.
  • An emergency plan – Pre-plan what you would do at the time of an emergency.

Some important lessons to keep in mind before the rain hits us all –

But don’t let your house become one.

Just make sure your furniture is here to stay.

…Or else you might end up saying this to your doors and windows.

A penny for your thoughts on this one –

Anyway, the most important message that we get from the rain is that –

…Or at least successfully preparing yourself to face its wrath.

Keep in mind that extreme weather conditions can cause serious damages on the insides, as well as the outsides, of your house. This, in turn, would increase unexpected costs and become troublesome to deal with. Follow the above-mentioned steps to avoid most issues arising from the rains, and try to stay as happy as this little guy.