Major winter storms are expected to hit the entire state of California and households are already preparing their homes and themselves for heavy rainfall. How can you prepare your house for the coming El Niño?
California residents are currently preparing for El Niño, as the state is expected to experience at least "normal" to 17 inches of rainfall in the Sacramento area, The Sacramento Bee reported. Given that the state has gone through four years of drought, it is expected that several homes may not have prepared for this major storm.
Denise Sweeney, the assistant manager of Orchard Supply Hardware, recommended several steps to take before the El Niño storms take place. In preparation for the storms, Sweeney advised homeowners to check areas where potential flooding can happen.
"The thing about an El Niño, when it starts falling, it comes down hard and fast," Sweeney said.
Some of the important things to check are the roof, gutters, and drainage. These areas can be easily clogged with leaves and debris, so it is important to keep these areas free from any clogs to redirect water outside your home.
To check for any leaks in the roof, Sweeney said that there are telltale signs to determine areas with leakage - water spots or discolored paint on ceilings. Aside from the roof, it is also important to trim your trees, especially because some of them may have weakened following the drought.
Sweeney also suggested on purchasing sandbags, as they are an inexpensive way of keeping water from entering your house.
In case some of these measures are not enough to keep your house safe from the major storms, La Jolla Light listed several steps you can take to recover from it.
According to the publication, it is always important to protect yourself from any possible harm when measuring the extent of damage to your home. Always wear rubber gloves and boots while assessing the damage.
Do not turn any appliances on while your house is flooded and do not drink tap water, as these may easily become contaminated after the heavy rains.
