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October 2015
BY KATE BRANSFIELD
As the temperatures begin to dip inSanta Monica this fall, it’s time to makesure your home is ready for colderweather.
The National Weather Service’s Cli-mate Prediction Center reports that allcomputer models are now predicting astrong El Niño to peak in the late fall orearly winter.
Based on weather patterns in thePacific Ocean, California could get hitwith an El Niño stronger than the monsterEl Niño of 1997 that caused mudslides,flooding, and $500 million in damages.
Unless your house sits at the highestpoint atop a mountain and your yardslopes downward, you are a potential vic-tim of flooding.
Here are some simple methods you can
take to water proof your home. Make it aweekend family project or take each taskat a time. Just make sure to follow safetyprecautions or else hire a professional.
Check Your Furnace and Water HeaterYour furnace and water heater will
need to be checked before winter. Makesure that your furnace filters are regularlychanged on a monthly basis. A plugged fil-ter could also cause the unit to break down.It’s a good idea to have your furnace andwater heater serviced by a professional,particularly if you have gas- powered mod-els, to make sure the pilot lights and all theinterior mechanisms are working properly.
If you have a fireplace or wood-burn-ing stove, it is important to have this serv-iced before winter arrives, too. Get yourchimney cleaned to ensure that you won’thave any issue with potentially harmfulsmoke or gases coming back into yourhome.
Cleaning Out Gutters, Downspouts,
DrainsWhen debris in gutters, downspouts, or
drains gets wet, it absorbs the rainwaterlike a sponge and becomes extremelyheavy. This burden puts stress on thestructures and their hanging brackets, and
can pull the structures off the house.Falling gutters or drains are costly enoughto replace on their own, not to mention anylights or windows they smash as they comecrashing down.
Overflowing water from gutters canalso damage the paint and siding on ahome, but water marks down the side ofthe house pale in comparison with whathappens if the water get inside of a wall:wet wood rot.
Even flooded basements and crackingfoundations are other symptoms of cloggedgutters. Make sure to drain water so itdoesn’t pool around the foundation andcause cracks that will lead to floods inbasements or crawl spaces.
You can hire a service to clean yourgutters, but doing it yourself can save you$100 or more. Plan to clean gutters at leasttwice a year — more often if the roof isdirectly beneath trees. If you can’t worksafely from a ladder or the roof, or if yourroof is higher than a single story, it’s best tohire a gutter-cleaning pro.
Dry Flood ProofingMaking a building watertight to ensure
that floodwaters cannot get inside is calleddry flood proofing. During a flood, open-ings like as doors, windows, sewer lines
and vents, are closed temporarily, withsandbags or removable closures.
SandbaggingSandbagging will be appropriate if pre-
dicted flood heights will be higher thanyour levee or other protection. Sandbagscan be stockpiled in advance of a floodemergency. You should purchase speciallymade sandbags; not plastic garbage bags,burlap or some other type that will nothold up.
Wet Flood ProofingIn the event that waters get into your
house, wet flood proofing is your bestoption to minimize damage. Anything sus-ceptible to water damage — like a waterheater, furnace, or washer and dryer —need to be moved to a higher level of thehouse or raised on blocks or platforms.Move furniture, rugs, electronics and otherbelongings to upper floors, or at least raisethem off a ground floor. You’ll also want toshut off electricity at the breaker panel.Fuel tanks, air-conditioning units, andgenerators should be anchored and raisedabove your flood level.
Please feel free to call my office at310.395.1133 if you need help finding aprofessional to weather proof your home.
Fall Home Maintenance Tips To Protect Your Home
C A L E N D A R October 9
Front Porch Cinema6 pm
Santa Monica Pier 200 Santa Monica Pier
santamonicapier.org/frontporchcinema
October 10The Santa Monica
Bicycle Expo8 am
Santa Monica Pier200 Santa Monica Pier
facebook.com/SMBicycleExpo
Pier Del Sol10 am
Santa Monica Pier200 Santa Monica Pier
sosc.org/pierdelsol
Beer Art & Music Festival1 pm
18th Street Arts Center1639 18th St.
18thstreet.org/bam
October 13Picture Day
Franklin Elementary School1651 16th St.
franklin.smmusd.org
October 15Picture Retake DayLincoln Middle School
8 am
Roosevelt Elementary School PTA Executive Board Meeting
8:35 amCafeteria
801 Montana Ave.myroosevelt.net
Great California Shakeout10:30 am
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
5th Annual Kickstarter Film Festival
7 pmAero Theater
1328 Montana Ave. americancinemathequecalendar.com
October 17College Financial Aid
Presentation and Application Workshop
9 amBarnum Hall
Santa Monica High School601 Pico Blvd.
samohi.smmusd.org
Off The Hook Santa Monica
Seafood Festival3 pm
Santa Monica Pier 200 Santa Monica Pier
offthehookseafoodfest.com
Virgina Avenue Park Fall Festival
3 pmVirginia Avenue Park2200 Virginia Ave.
smgov.net
October 23Homecoming Rally/Game
Santa Monica High School601 Pico Blvd.
samohi.smmusd.org
October 24Homecoming Dance
Santa Monica High School601 Pico Blvd.
samohi.smmusd.org
10th Annual Dusk-To-Dawn
Horrothon7:30 pm
Aero Theater1328 Montana Ave.
americancinemathequecalendar.com
October 27Picture Day
Roosevelt Elementary School 801 Montana Ave.
myroosevelt.net
October 28All You Can Carry Pumpkin Patch
8:30 amDowntown Santa Monica
Farmers MarketArizone Ave. and 2nd St.
smgov.net/portals/farmersmarket
Tongva After Dark: Wonder Room
7:30 pmTongva Park
1615 Ocean Ave. tongvapark.smgov.net
October 30Halloween Parade
8:45 amRoosevelt Elementary School
801 Montana Ave.myroosevelt.net
Halloween Carnival 5 pm
1501 California Ave.Lincoln.smmusd.org
Running with Speakers Halloween Costume Contest
LunctimeSanta Monica High School
601 Pico Blvd. samohi.smmusd.org
Santa Monica Nighlift
Halloween Pubcrawl
5 pmCircle Bar
2926 Main St.halloweenla.com/event
November 3Parent-Teacher Conferences –
No School Roosevelt Elementary School
801 Montana Ave.myroosevelt.net
November 5Ice at Santa Monica
Grand Opening6 pm
1324 5th St. downtownsm.com/ice
November 11Veteran’s Day – No School Santa Monica-Malibu Unified
School District