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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