MANILA, Philippines?With heavy showers and torrential downpours happening almost every week, you may now be able to gauge how well you have equipped your house to cope with this eventuality.

?No matter how well you have prepared during the hot months, flaws in construction only come to the fore when your house gets soaked with incessant rain,? said Sonny Ducay of Firm Builders Realty.

He added that to prevent further damage, such flaws should be taken care of immediately.

?It?s never too late to correct flaws in your house. They?re the most cost-effective means of warding off catastrophe over the rainy season,? Ducay said.

Most common

A leaking roof is the most common problem in many households. While the most obvious signs are the drippings, one should also take note of the unsightly marks left on the inner ceiling after it dries up.

While a roof cement or a brand-new roof could remedy this, those living in the topmost floor of an apartment or condo may have to do something else.

?Water marks on ceiling means the rain water gets stagnated on the terrace floor. To solve this, ensure that the terrace floor has sufficient gradient to completely and quickly drain out the water collected. Any undulations should be leveled by applying cement plaster. Any cracks in the roof slab, if found, should be properly covered up by using special grade cement grout,? he suggested.

Clogged drains could be another culprit.

Expensive damage

?Clogged gutters may not be a life or death problem, but they can lead to expensive property damage,? he said.

Ducay further explained that clogs can force water from continuous rains to back up under the eaves of the roof, damaging the attic and walls.

?While placing an iron mesh at the mouth of the drain pipes is an excellent idea, periodic checkup is advised since the debris that gets collected in the mesh could start blockage,? Ducay added.

Even the walls could fall victim to continuous heavy rain.

?The walls whose outer face is exposed to intense rainfall, will allow seepage. To prevent seepage through walls, provide roof overhangs where ever possible to protect the walls from being exposed to rainfall,? Ducay suggested.