How to Prepare Your Home for a third La Nina
If you thought we had seen the last of La Niña, unfortunately think again.
The Bureau of Meteorology announced a third consecutive La Nina is likely this year, right in time for Aussie Summer.
It’s time to start thinking about how you will prepare either your residential or commercial buildings for this returning wet season.
What is La Niña?
If you need a refresher (we doubt you do though), La Niña is a weather pattern belonging to the El Niño Southern Oscillation that cycles from one to eight years. This cycle has an immense, if not the most significant effect on Australia's climate, compared to other climate drivers.
To showcase the severity of La Niña, you should know that it historically increases the chance of widespread flooding. The severe Australian floods of 1955, 1988, 1998 and 2010 were all associated with La Niña.
How to weather the storm - prepare, prepare, prepare
As expert plumbers, we are skilled in reactive plumbing situations. When an issue like a blocked drain arises, our clients need us to be available and ready to help. However, taking the time to assess your building and prepare your home now, is a smart move to avoid an emergency plumbing situation, especially with such a likely prediction of increased downpour. Here’s some things you can do now for your home:
Clearing Drains
An influx of rain can cause blockages in your drains, increasing the chance of flooding. Neglecting gutters and downpipes means that leaves, dirt, soil and debris gets washed into your stormwater drain, blocking it over time. Now is the perfect time to clear your neglected gutters of leaves and debris. If this seems too big a feat, our licensed Sydney Plumbers are up for the task. It may also be worth considering installing guards on your gutters and stormwater grates to reduce the risk of future stormwater blockages. Get in touch with our team to organise this in your home.
Maintaining Foilage
With the Spring climate and recent rain in Sydney, your plants might have had a growth spurt. It’s important to trim down branches that could block gutters. Also be aware of trees within close proximity to drains, as falling leaves can cause blockages.
Unusual Dampness
It may sound off but the best way to safeguard the outside of your house is actually from inspecting the inside. Walk around your home and check for any signs of unexplained dampness including mould, warped walls and door frames. If you have a sneaky hidden leak already on your property, sudden onset of heavy rainfall will only exacerbate the issue and may spark unprecedented flooding.
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Although it is best to prepare your home from now, our team is always on stand-by for emergency plumbing services. If disaster strikes and you have an unexpected blockage, we’re here to help.
Rest assured, if your stormwater drains do get blocked, our Sydney Plumbers are skilled to use CCTV sewer cameras, to perform a stormwater pipe inspection and find out the exact catalyst for the blockage.
If the cause of the blockage is sediment, we can flush it out with our jet blasters. Plumbing cameras can also identify structural damage in the pipes. Depending on the extent of the damage we can replace either a small section of pipe or the whole stormwater system.
