5 Steps to Take After A Heavy Rain - WatsonsHealth

5 Steps to Take After A Heavy Rain

 

Water in your home from winds and heavy downpours can cause all sorts of damage.

A heavy rain can instantly dump loads of water in your home, fill your gutters and downspouts and destroy your garden. Also, a water problem in your home can turn into a major issue if you don’t deal with it immediately. It can lead to water buildup that can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes that harbor malaria and dengue fever. Excess water can also destroy floors, walls, appliances and furniture. Also, it can later lead to the growth of molds and mildew that can bring harm to our health and can cause damage to furniture, wooden walls and floors.

Here are the five steps to take before excess water from a heavy rain turns into a big issue.

1. Check the Basement

After a heavy rain, check your basement or crawlspace for standing water. Heavy and sustained rain can transform your yard into a marsh, and overabundance of water will invade any cracks or weak parts of your house. Another potential problem that can ensue is sewage backups, which are caused when rainwater fills the sewer lines and back up into the drains. If a sewage problem occurs, seek professional help immediately.

If your basement is filled with water, you should dry it up as quickly as possible. You can use buckets or pumps for faster work. Open any windows to increase ventilation and run some fans for fast drying. You can also use dehumidifiers for drying up the place.

2. Check Your Carpets and Wooden Floors

If rain water pushed through open or unlocked windows, or of it gets pooled under the door and into your carpets, and wooden floors, you must dry those regions as fast as possible. Mold likes to grow on wet surfaces and will begin to grow underneath a moist carpet within 24 to 48 hours.

You can remove wet carpets and either wash and dry them yourself or have them professionally cleaned. Replace any wet cushioning underneath and use vacuums or fans to dry the carpets as soon as possible. For wooden floors, you can soak water with mops or towels.

3. Check Your Attic

Indeed, even the strongest rooftop can be affected by heavy rains. Winds can easily rip off shingles and rain can pass through ventilation boards. Falling tree parts can also cause some damage.

Check for wet insulation. If you see one, pull it out immediately and dry up the area using a fan or dehumidifier before setting down a replacement.

4. Inspect the Walls

You can easily spot water puddles on the floor, but you cannot easily see water drenching the walls. Standing water represents the greatest risk to walls. A flooded basement will make water creep to the drywall and plaster of the walls, parts of the wall which are difficult to dry. If wet, it can lead to wall damage which should be removed and replaced as soon as possible.

Check for signs of damage in the walls such as stains, discolorations, peeling paint or wallpaper and bubbling paint. If these signs are present, call a professional so that the source of the leak gets identified and the damaged sections removed and replaced.

5. Check the Gutters and Downspouts

One of the known causes of water damage is water that pools around the house. After some time, that water can saturate into the concrete and cause cracks and weak areas. These openings can cause more water to seep through. Therefore, gutters and downspouts are considered the best protection features against water damage.

If there are excess leaves and twigs in the gutter, they should be removed. See if the downspouts and its openings are also clear. You can use a garden hose to check whether water flows easily.

Certainly, you cannot control heavy rains and other disasters that Mother Nature may bring. However, you can control how your house is affected. Follow these steps after a heavy rain and you can ensure your family’s health and safety always.

 

Get your health, beauty and wellness product online! Shop now at Watsons. Click here to start shopping.

 

-Medical Observer

Related Articles

Obesity: A Serious Threat to Health

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass […]

Prevent and control obesity to protect your heart health

Around 27 million Filipino adults are overweight or obese, according to the latest National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Food […]

What you can do for better heart health

Advances in scientific and technological knowledge have provided unprecedented advantages in terms of immeasurable convenience in our daily living, lightning-fast […]