Monsoon Season is Here! Are You Ready?

Here in the East Valley, AZ we do appreciate the elusive rain-soaked landscape. However, the seasonal monsoons that usually occur mid-June to September can be quite apocalyptic! These usually consist of heavy rains, fierce winds, thunder, and lightning. Like a scene from the movie The Mummy, these are often preceded by a dust storm, also known as a haboob. On the positive side, these monsoons often pass through areas quickly and do not linger over a specific area for long. They can leave significant damage in their wake in terms of flooding, toppled trees and broken branches, shredded sunshades, overturned trampolines, broken windows, damaged vehicles, and roof leaks. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help protect yourselves, your homes, businesses, and other property from these events.

1. Have your roof inspected annually by a licensed roofing company.
   • Broken roof tiles expose the underlayment to high heat and harmful UV rays which damages it over time and can lead to leaks.
   • Damaged flashing won’t prevent wind driven rain from getting inside.
   • Flat roofs can start to recede from the edges over time, leaving a pathway for moisture to enter.
2. Inspect all of your exterior doors’ weatherstripping.
   • These can wear over time. If you find damaged or worn sections, have them replaced. These help to keep wind, rain, and floods (to an extent) out of your home.
   • Also, have any leaky windows repaired or replaced.
3. Park your vehicles in a garage or covered area whenever possible.
   • During storms, wind can send objects careening into vehicles.
   • Trees and branches can also fall onto vehicles.
4. Ensure your gate latches are in good working order and stay latched.
   • Gates that swing wildly in the strong wind can be damaged and can injure people.
5. Secure trampolines to the ground or take them down during monsoon season.
   • They seem big and heavy, but they are just a big kite in the monsoon winds. These can be lifted and flung into homes and automobiles. They can even be lifted up and over your fence.
6. Roll-up or remove sunshades or sun kites when you suspect a monsoon.
   • These can be torn down or ripped in the high winds.
7. Have your trees trimmed annually.
   • This will help prevent broken branches, dropped palm leaves, and toppled trees.
8. Stay inside! It’s temporary, usually very temporary, so just wait it out.
   • If avoidable, it is not the time to drive or be outside while a monsoon is on top of you.
   • Dangers include flying debris, lightning, poor visibility, and flash floods.
9. If you are caught driving in a monsoon or haboob with poor visibility, pull over to a safe place off of the road or seek shelter before visibility worsens if possible.
   • Visibility can go from not too bad, too horrific in seconds. Pull over early and safely.
   • Slow down, don’t tailgate, use headlights, use blinkers, avoid flooded roads.
10. Maintain your vehicle.
    • Ensure tire treads are good.
    • Ensure windshields are crack-free.
    • Ensure windshield wipers are in good working order.
    • Ensure all lights are working.

These brief wonders of nature can be something to marvel at. So, take these few steps this season so that you and our family can enjoy them from the safety of the indoors.

Rest assured though, that if a flood or leak does occur we are here to help get your lives put back together, so please give PuroClean of San Tan a call 24/7 at (480) 566-2300.

By Sean LeVine 7/13/2023