Guest Post by Natalie lge
The summer of 2022/2023 is set to be the third La Niña summer in a row for Australia.
Even if you had thoroughly prepared your home for La Niña the first or second time round, a whole year has passed since then, so chances are high that there’s a fair amount around your home that could demand your attention prior to the hot, wet summer that lies ahead.
Today, we’ll be sharing the top 6 items that should be on the top of your to-do list in order to prepare your home for this coming La Niña summer.
Be sure to see to each and every one of these home maintenance tasks well before the rains arrive.
Book an electrical inspection
It’s safe to say that virtually every licensed electrician in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland is currently busy at work carrying out electrical inspections or conducting repairs to support Aussie homeowners in the lead-up to summer.
Contrary to popular belief, securing an electrical inspection for your home in time for spring is by no means the same as preparing for La Niña weather conditions.
In truth, preparing your home for a La Niña summer is different to your spring home maintenance checklist.
Although both seasons herald plenty of storm clouds, La Niña summers here in Australia are characterised by their lower than normal air pressure system.
This means that your home must be ready for warm summer temperatures as well as plenty of wet weather.
Naturally, the clashing of summer weather and a lower than normal air pressure system also inspires plenty of electrical storms.
This is why conducting an electrical inspection of your property is paramount to keeping your household safe during a La Niña summer.
Your electrician should thoroughly inspect your home’s fuse box, main switchboard, and all outlets in your home to identify any and all potential electrical faults that may be exacerbated by La Niña’s electrical storms.
Assess your heating and cooling systems
As La Niña summers are renowned for locking in plenty of humidity across Australia’s east coast, mould is naturally a growing concern for many homeowners.
Thankfully, there are steps that you can take in order to reduce the risk of your home becoming a moisture-rich breeding ground for mould, disease vectors like mosquitoes, and nasty bacteria.
A great place to start is by clearing out the vents of your home’s ducted heating and air-con systems.
If your home doesn’t have ducted heating and cooling but instead uses a reverse cycle split system, then you’re still encouraged to clean out your filters and give both your internal and external units a good once over with a can of pressurised air.
If you detect any odd smells from your unit, it could potentially be due to existing mould or mildew build-up on the evaporative components of your home’s HVAC system, which will likely require expert maintenance from a dedicated HVAC specialist.
Alongside getting your heating and cooling systems assessed, if your home is prone to accruing moisture on its interior walls, then you should definitely consider investing in a dehumidifier, just to help remove any excess moisture in the air inside your home.
Book a roof inspection
Roof leaks are a common occurrence during particularly poor weather conditions, especially if it’s been a while since your roof was last inspected by a roof plumber.
But believe us when we say that the last thing you want to deal with in the middle of a storm is a leak in the ceiling of your living room.
If you have any suspicions that there are gaps in your roof that could lead to cracks or leaks in your ceiling, then we highly recommend booking an inspection with your roof plumber to ensure that your roof receives some extra sealant before summer comes round.
You should also get your stormwater drains cleared professionally if you haven’t done so in previous years, just to minimise the chances of your property becoming flooded.
Treat exposed timber to prevent rot and warping
The stormy weather that accompanies La Niña in Australia notorious for causing exposed wood to warp, which can be a major issue if your doors and window fittings or frames just so happen to be made of timber.
Warped wooden doors and windows can be difficult to open and close, and may even lead to additional issues like cracks in glass panes.
In order to reduce the chances of windows failing to open, keeping humid air firmly in the home, homeowners are advised to treat all exposed timber with wood oils and sealants to keep moisture at bay.
This includes your doors, windows, wooden flooring, and any wooden decking outside your home.
Awnings can also be installed over your home’s windows to protect them from being hit with rain during stormy weather.
If you’d prefer not to install awnings, then storm windows are also a superb alternative that will help maintain your home’s facade whilst still keeping moisture from seeping in through any gaps in your windows.
Trim back tall trees
As always, stormy seasons are accompanied by an increased risk of falling trees and branches.
Because of this, you’ll want to make sure that all taller trees that are positioned on your property are trimmed back.
Doing so will help keep both your family and your home safe from the possibility of big branches or trees falling and causing structural damage and injuries.
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On a less serious but still very relevant note, any households with resident green thumbs should strongly consider moving all potted plants or smaller plants into covered areas like greenhouses to make sure that plants don’t experience root rot due or other weather damage due to excess rainfall.
With all these items ticked off your home maintenance checklist, this coming La Niña summer should be a breeze, although we do say that in a figurative sense.
Just be sure to keep an eye out for any of the telltale signs of mould and leaks in your home to help you and family stay as comfortable as possible during the wetness and warmth of the season.