Keeping water and storm damage to a minimum

The more urbanized we become, the more problems we will have with storm water run-off. Once upon a time virtually all rain water fell and sank into the ground. We've built homes, factories, shopping centres, roads, car parks etc. and all of these prevent rain seeping into the ground upon impact. The rain simply has to run off somewhere else. It heads off into drains and water ways and the sediment it takes with it creates more problems elsewhere. The run-off can deplete the water ways of oxygen and can cause contamination from chemicals. We can all help to reduce this ever increasing problem by simply making a few changes at home. You can:

Remove your concrete or asphalt drive-way and re-create it in pavers or bricks
Replace the central part of the drive-way such that the only parts that are water repellent are the parts where your tyres are. You can grow low grasses or place mulch in between the tyre tracks
Collect and use the water that runs off your roof
Add organic matter to your soil to enable it to absorb water better
Lawn often doesn't absorb rain water well. Swap to a native garden
If you have a lawn then wash your car on it rather than on your drive-way

Learn how to reduce water and storm damage to your home

Tornados, cyclones and storms can create huge amounts of damage to our homes. We can do the obvious things such as:

Keep gutters and valleys free of leaves
Maintain the roof, especially check areas around chimneys and skylights
Prune overhanging branches so they can't fall onto your roof
Slope your garden away from the house
Clean the grids of surface drains so there is nothing to stop the water running down them

Here you can find more ways to minimize the damage and hopefully save yourself a lot of expense.

FLOOD INFO - How to reduce storm water damage at home

ALL WET - How to keep moisture out of historic buildings

STORM TRACK - Lessons learned from studying tornado damage (heavy reading but interesting)

Find tips here on other projects you may be able to handle yourself:

Hanging wallpaper - Stripping paper off, hanging paper, types of wallpaper and calculating quantities

Framing and hanging doors - Diagrams, charts and photographs

Insulation and its importance - Installation guide, tips and facts

Removing stains from brickwork - Covers interiors, exteriors and historic buildings

Re-pointing bricks - Tools and procedures are illustrated here

Re-sashing windows - A fiddly job made easier

Replacing glass in a window - Tutorial and guidelines on how to replace glass

Fixing the treads and risers in stairs - Hints and tips and one person's personal stair fixing story

Fixing the damp in your home - Causes and cures for dampness. Damp basements

Finding and fixing a leak in the shower - First find out how to locate the leak and then fix it

Clearing a blocked drain - Deals with sinks, toilets, showers and drains

Repairing a leaking tap - Fixing instructions plus heaps of water saving tips and hints

Hanging pictures and photographs - Also includes hanging themes, styles and calculations

Fixing roof tiles and shingles - Q & A's on all types of roofs, chimneys, gutterings & flashings