PROTECTING YOUR HOME DURING THE RAINY SEASON

Author: Nick Halverson

Anyone who owns a home in the area should remember that not so long before modern roads and developments and logging, this area was a vast and untouched tropical rainforest. What does it mean to own a property in a rainforest?

Keep in mind that the region receives between 120 - 160 inches (that’s between 10 - 13 FEET of water!!). By contrast, Denver, Colorado, receives around 80 inches of snow in a typical winter season. How your property handles that much water is often overlooked in the excitement of purchasing a property. My company, Osa Property Management, frequently gets involved after a property is bought, and we need to put together a plan to help protect a property from further damage caused by water.

Also, the solution that worked in the past may no longer work due to shifting land, broken drainage, blocked drainage, or other factors. Land can shift due to earthquakes, changes in landscape design, or a deluge of water. Failure to address water mitigation issues may damage structures or landslides that have very costly solutions to repair.

Tips for protecting your home:

Gutters must be cleaned. Make sure your landscaper is doing that during every visit (minimum twice per month), especially during the rainy season.
Water mitigation starts with landscaping. Take care when changing the landscaping of a property - especially if you want to change slopes/grades. Don’t plant trees too close to your home. If they are already planted, make sure the limbs are cut back to decrease the probability of debris falling onto the roof.
Install “alcantarillas” (concrete tubes typically used under roads and driveways) to help the water keep moving.
Study where your downspouts/rain chains end. Do they go onto the ground? Ideally, a concrete catch box will be connected to buried plastic pipes guiding the water into a more extensive water system.
Plant appropriate plants and trees in the proper locations.
Keep all drainage clean of debris. Have your landscaper/property manager check them.

Do not wait until the water mitigation is a problem. The solution can be much more expensive than it would have been having the issue been resolved earlier. When erosion issues become a problem, the cost to fix and repair can run into the $10,000s. If done early enough, a plan can be built in stages, thereby spreading out the cost over a couple of years versus all at once.

Please contact Osa Property Management if you have any questions about your current water mitigation design on your property. We can provide a no-obligation quote.