How to weatherproof your Mount Isa property
Summer is traditionally our Mount Isa wet season when more than double the amount of rain falls than during the rest of the year. Even though it’s August, it’s never too early to weatherproof your Mt Isa property. Read on to find out our top 5 tips for how to do it.
Legal requirements for landlords
If you are a Mount Isa landlord, then you have a legal responsibility to make sure your rental property is weatherproof. This means that you must take adequate steps to prevent any rainfall from entering the premises.
Even if you’re not a landlord, ensuring that your residential home is weatherproof helps to avoid water damage and maintain its value.
Tip 1: Keep your gutters clean
If your gutters get clogged with leaves, sticks, branches or anything else, then they won’t drain properly. This can result in problems such as sagging gutters, internal leaks and a build-up of mould and mildew both inside and outside the home.
Any water damage can be costly to repair and affect the property’s value. Clogged gutters can also be a fire hazard. Make sure you avoid these problems by cleaning your gutters regularly, especially if you have trees or other large shrubs in your yard. The more often you clean your gutters, the less time-consuming a chore it will be. Alternatively, you can hire someone to do the job for you.
Tip 2: Monitor your roof, eaves and external pipes
You should check your roof periodically for any rust damage or loose fasteners, especially if you have a roof that’s more than 20 years old. In addition, if your roof paint is fading, your metal will be more exposed to the elements and rust damage is more likely to occur.
Not monitoring your roof for signs of wear and tear can lead to significant water damage during periods of heavy rain, even if there is no obvious internal leak. You should also monitor your eaves for signs of mould or mildew, which as signs of potential roof or gutter issues. In addition, check your external drain pipes for any signs of leaks.
Tip 3: Ensure doors and windows are properly sealed
This includes ensuring that the external doors and windows are both structurally sound and sealed. You may need to install weatherstrips and sweeps in door frames and windows to ensure this.
Tip 4: Monitor your yard drainage
Periods of heavy rain can result in waterlogged yards, so it’s important that your property’s yard drains as efficiently as possible. Ideally the slope of your yard and any other outside areas should go away from your home, not towards it, in order to avoid any water build-up in or around your home. You should also fill any dips in your yard as much as possible.
Tip 5: Prune overhanging trees or shrubs
If you have any large trees or shrubs on your property, particularly any that hang over your roof or gutters, prune them before they pose a threat to the home. Otherwise, during more severe weather events such as storms, overhanging branches can fall and cause significant damage to roofs and gutters.
The bottom line
Whether you’re a Mt Isa landlord or owner-occupier, it makes sense to weatherproof your property so that you can avoid or minimise any damage to it.
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If you need your property professionally managed, or you’re thinking about selling, buying, leasing or renting any Mt Isa property, then contact our team today for an obligation-free chat!
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