Rain A Reminder To ‘Winterize’ Your Home

PALM DESERT – If you don’t see roofers on homes now, you will soon. Rain means repairs for many homes. The summer heat and wind causes cracks when it cools down. They often go undetected and are not repaired until it rains. Loni Brock had to deal with a leak in her home a month ago.

“I’ve had some pretty bad leaks I mean, because we don’t get rain often when it rains it pours and usually the damage is big,”says Brock.

Jimmy Carter with American Leak Detection examines her home for leaks. His tool detects changes in temperatures that can show where water is making it’s way in-between the walls. Brock’s home crack-free for now.

Carter figures to be busy after the valley’s first winter storm and says people should look for warning signs.

“Maybe a water problem on the ceiling or wet spot on the wall that’s starting to appear or even on the floor,”says Carter, VicePresident of Field Operation for American Leak Detection.

Carter recommends being proactive by checking your roof twice a year for leaks and clogged drains. You should also make sure there’s no crack on or around your doors and windows.

Another thing to look out for is the base of your home. You want to make sure your lawn slopes down so the water doesn’t pool up and get inside.

“All that waters gotta go some place so if that where to go into the home then you’re looking at dry wall problems, insulation problems. It could cause a lot of water damage,” says Carter.

Fixing damage before it rains could save you thousands of dollars on repairs and on your heating bill. But with Coachella Valley residents unfamiliar with the rain it’s bound to catch some people and their roofs by surprise.