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5 expert tips to ensure your Spanish home is flood proof
These experts tips will protect you against water damage in Spain this winter
Anyone who has been in Spain during the autumn and winter will know what a fickle climate can be expected: gloriously sunny and warm days often followed by sometimes violent storms and torrential rain. That’s why property development community administrators Resortalia advise weather-proofing your home, especially if you’re not living there full time.
Here’s 5 top tips from the experts:
Tip 1: Let’s start with preparation. If your house is built on a flood plain, it’s just common sense to be ready for the worst case scenario. Prepare a flood kit bag with essentials like warm clothes, snacks, important documents, your phone, laptop and a camera. The last two items are especially important ff you need to file claim damage with your insurance company.
If there’s time, switch off any electrical or gas appliances at the mains to avoid further damage.
Tip 2: Buy a water vacuum. These can be quite expensive, but if you’re living in low-lying areas prone to flooding during autumn and winter, they can be invaluable for sucking up minor water discharges that would otherwise damage your property.
Tip 3: Moving to the outdoors, prevention is always better than cure, and our first action area is the drains. Pipes and flues frequently become blocked by an accumulation of leaves and other debris, and we don’t notice the problem until it’s much too late.
Checking these drains on a regular basis will prevent build-up and the potential flooding they can cause. In addition, the experts recommend removing the screws which fix ground drain covers in place when it is raining heavily so that the water can flow away more freely.
Tip 4: Due to the high summer temperatures usually experienced in Spain, particularly in southern regions, the silicone surrounding the seals of doors and windows is very likely to degrade over time. This is solely the responsibility of the property owner, so as autumn approaches, it’s advisable to check all seals and replace where necessary.
Tip 5: Get gardening. You might not realise it, but strong trees with aggressive root systems can wreak havoc on your foundations, creating hairline cracks that allow water to seep in gradually. This can cause tremendous structural problems if allowed to continue in the long term. It's best to plant troublesome trees like maples, aspens and firs at least 3 metres from your house but if you already have one of these close to your home, look at getting it removed to avoid more problems in the future.
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Image: Pixabay
