Times of highest concern: Nov – March. South East Qld and Northern NSW enjoy a beautiful summer but it also attracts surprise storms and severe weather that can lead to damage to your home, including your flooring if water gets inside!
Note: With summer also comes extreme humidity which already puts your floor under some pressure and can even cause mild cupping (See Notice #2: Seasonal Reminder – Cupping/peaking floors)
In the lead up to storm season (Nov – March) and the lead up to any severe weather throughout the year there are many things you can do to minimise the risks.
First, there is a checklist for outside:
- Check your roof regularly to make sure it’s in good condition
- Keep gutters, downpipes and drains clear
- Remove tree branches that are close to your house
- Secure loose items around your property
After this however, it is often forgotten how wild the wind and rain can get. Heavy rain can then hit windows and doors at different directions and possibly enter the home. So in addition to the external checklist, there is a more important one for internally:
- Close windows and doors
- Check windows and doors are sealed well if water is to hit it directly
- Clean window and door tracks internally and externally
- Place towels below any windows or doors of concern
- Monitor the flooring areas for any change close to doors & windows each day after a storm
After the storm has passed it is recommended to open some windows and doors to ventilate the areas again and reduce the humidity.
In some scenarios only a small amount of water may enter the house and cause slow damage over a long time or rot from underneath. The above checklist is going to save you a lot of grief overall. If you are however unlucky and water does enter the house and onto the floor, dry it up as best as you can and possibly direct a portable fan towards the area. This should minimise the damage depending on how much water and how long it was present for. It is also incredibly important that your flooring is covered with your home insurance so that in the worst case scenario, you are covered.
If you require any clarification on anything or for any further questions please contact the team at Marques Flooring.
