Maintaining Your Home During A Summer Storm
Homeowners in Ontario rarely have to worry about storms affecting their households, especially in the summer. The recent drought has significantly halted the amount of rainfall in the southern California area.
However, the rare summer shower can occur from time to time, and when it does, it is important that you are prepared for such an event.
By taking the time to inspect your home during the dry season you can save yourself a lot of time and money in the future. Implementing home maintenance throughout the year will stop water from leaking into your home and causing significant water damage.
Not only will it minimize water damage after a summer storm, but it will prevent mold from infesting the premises.
Take Small Steps To Prevent Big Water Damage
Since rain is not a common weather pattern in Ontario, many homes are not prepared to handle the increased moisture that is imposed upon it during the summer.
Checking your roof is a great way to stop water leakage. When you get up there, look for loose tiles, damaged shingles, and cracks. Make sure all the sealant is solid and that the chimney does not have any damage.
You also need to inspect your gutters and downspouts. If there are leaves, branches and other debris, you want to immediately clear the passageway. This way water can effectively roll off the roof and flow into the gutters.
The downspouts also need to be cleared and pointed away from the home, ensuring that the rain runoff is deposited away from the home and won’t seep back into the foundation.
Homeowners should also check the exterior of the home and look for any cracks in the foundation where water may be able to get inside. This includes looking at windows, doorways and the garage.
Remediating Water Damage To Stop Mold Growth
The summers can be very hot, which can create bigger issues after even a light rain shower. If moisture is able to get inside the walls, ceiling, floor or any other part of the home, then it can create a mold infestation.
Mold likes to live in damp, dark places, that are usually out of sight. Most of the time it can thrive in these spaces for quite sometime before being discovered.
Homeowners will be able to see the mold growth at times, but on some occasions you will become aware of the infestation in other ways. By breathing in mold spores you may start to feel symptoms that mimic allergies, such as itchy eyes, coughing, sneezing and wheezing.
If you begin to feel these symptoms when you enter your home, then most likely you need to hire professionals to come inspect the entire household. It is important to realize when you need outside help, like a professional home restoration company.
Getting all traces of the mold removed is imperative to preventing future infestations, and keeping you safe. Summer storms, although rare, need to be taken seriously, and by keeping your home maintained you can easily prevent water damage and mold growth during the season.
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