With talk of a "Godzilla" El Niño, it pays to prepare your home now to weather the coming storms.
The forecast for this winter seems to bring with it a prediction for a new El Niño. With that in mind here are 15 tips to prepare for the anticipated downpours. Getting these things in place before the rain begins can help avoid issues in your home and garden.
Clean out your rain gutters and downspouts. Clean all of them before it rains, then check and clean them after the first rain. Leaves and debris from your roof may have accumulated in rain gutters after the rain. Make sure your rain gutters aren’t damaged.
Fix any leaks before it starts to rain. Check your roof for any trouble areas.
Invest in an emergency generator. Think about a portable generator or permanent standby generator that comes on automatically when the power goes out.
Check any decks and balconies. Make sure water flows away from your walls and foundation.
If your crawl space, garage or basement could be flooded, think of installing a sump pump. El Niño rains can cause water to gather where you normally don’t find it.
