Preparing your house for the rainy season: 8 points to check before the first storm

When is the queue for roof repairers longest? In the middle of the rainy season, because every house notices at once. Checking at the end of the hot season gets you free tradespeople, normal prices and safer repairs on a dry roof

On the roof

• 1. Cracked or slipped tiles, loose ridge caps — You can see them with a drone or a zoom camera from the ground; ridge caps and valleys are the most common leak points
• 2. Gutters and downpipes — Clear leaves, check for loose gutter brackets and leaking joints; test by spraying water into the gutter and watching the flow
• 3. Silicone around pipes and posts through the roof — Silicone ages and cracks every 3–5 years; reapply over it

Around the house

• 4. Cracks in exterior walls and around frames — Fill with a flexible material (acrylic filler/PU) before driving rain seeps in
• 5. Roof decks and balconies — Look for blistering or peeling waterproofing and cracks; pond water overnight and check for drips below. If it's deteriorating, redo the waterproofing while it's dry
• 6. Drains around the house — Open the inspection pits, scoop out soil and leaves, and test by pouring water through. If your house is in a flood-prone area, prepare flood barriers/sandbags early

Trees and electricity

• 7. Trim large branches — Branches over the roof or near power lines are time bombs in a storm; hire professionals for very tall trees — don't risk it yourself
• 8. Outdoor outlets and lights — Outdoor sockets need weatherproof covers; check garden light cables for wear and test that the RCD works, because the rainy season is the season of leakage and electric shocks

All 8 take a single day off. Whenever you find something beyond you, call a technician from the "Report a repair" menu — attach photos of what you found so they can quote accurately before arriving