South Africa boasts more than its fair share of sunshine, but we’ve also been known to experience hectic rains. The rain brings out beautiful blooms and lush gardens, washing away the dust and welcoming warm weather once the clouds clear. But the fact is that heavy rains have the potential to flood a structure, breaking windows, and damaging property left, right, and centre.
As the rainy season continues, it’s crucial to prepare your home. After all, the last thing you want is a leak bursting through and putting a dampener on your electrics… Or worse. Thankfully there are preventative measures you can take to ensure that heavy rain doesn’t wreak absolute havoc.
Here’s a handy breakdown of what you can do to protect your home from a heavy downpour.
Clean out your gutters
You want to make sure that you clear out debris, like leaves and branches, to prevent overflowing in your gutters and downspouts. The first place that heavy rain hits is your roof, so you need to make sure that your rainwater channels are cleared. This’ll reduce water pushbacks and potential internal water damage.
Check your roof
Speaking of your roof, you should make it a priority to have your roof inspected at the start of the season. Essentially, what a professional is looking out for (and will repair) are loose tiles, fascia, eaves, and the deckings.
Seal the exits
Have a proper look around your windows and doors to check for leaks and gaps, and then get out the caulk and weather stripping that’ll prevent water from entering your home.
The greenery
Nasty rainstorms can absolutely wreck your outdoor furniture and toss branches around your home’s exterior, doing all sorts of damage. Make sure that your furniture and other bits and bobs are properly stored and are out of harm’s way. You should also trim the trees and branches on your property to prevent branches or debris from damaging your home during a storm.
Install perforated pipes
If you have a big, flat garden, consider installing a perforated 110mm pipe, seated into a bed of gravel, and buried 350 – 450mm below the worst areas. This allows for more easy absorption of excess water and prevents your yard from turning into a swamp.
Understand your insurance
There are times when, in spite of all your best efforts, a rainstorm will cause damage to your property. It’s key to understand your home insurance policy so that you know what you can claim for. For example, with home contents insurance, the valuables that you put into your home to make it your very own are covered, like with this royal home contents insurance policy. However, you should note that most home contents policies don’t cover things like bicycles, geysers, or swimming pools.
That’s why it’s important to combine home contents insurance with a buildings insurance policy. A buildings insurance policy is what you’ll need to cover your walls, garages, patios, underground pipes, and cables, etc. We recommend that you see for yourself in this easy-to-read format what a decent buildings policy covers by clicking here.
To get a quick, commitment-free insurance quote today, click here or WhatsApp 0860 50 50 50. We’re eager to assist!
Psst… This blog provides general info only, and doesn’t count as financial or product advice from King Price or our legal and compliance experts. Remember, all our premiums are risk-profile-dependent, and T’s and C’s apply. Our most up-to-date KPPD (policy wording) can always be found here.
Our website T’s and C’s can be found here.
