Hawke’s Bay knows better than most regions in New Zealand what a severe weather event can do. As cyclone season approaches, a little preparation around your home’s drainage can make a real difference to how well your property copes if a storm passes our way.
It doesn’t need to be complicated. Most of what makes a real difference comes down to a handful of simple checks, done before the weather turns (rather than during it).
Explore our Stormwater Hub for a range of tips and solutions for dealing with Stormwater Problems.
Start with your gutters and downpipes
Your gutters and downpipes are your property’s first line of defence. If they’re clogged with leaves and debris before a major weather event hits, water has nowhere to go but over the edge – straight down your walls and toward your foundations. A clear-out now, before the season starts, is one of the simplest things you can do, and it’s the check most homeowners forget until it’s raining.
Check your sump or soak pit
If you’ve got a sump or soak pit, it’s worth knowing the signs that it isn’t coping: pooling water, soggy ground that doesn’t dry out, or a musty smell nearby. We’ve covered this in more detail in 5 signs your soak pit or sump pit isn’t working properly – these are easy to miss during a normal week, but during heavy, sustained rain, a struggling system can turn into a serious problem fast, and it’s much harder to diagnose and fix once the ground is already saturated.
Know your property’s private drainage
It’s a common misunderstanding, but everything from your roof gutters through to the pipes on your property – up to where they connect to the council network – is your responsibility, not council’s. We go through this in more detail in our Hawke’s Bay drainage Q&A. Knowing this now, rather than during an emergency, means you know exactly who to call and what you’re dealing with if something goes wrong when the weather hits.
Think about your property’s low points
If certain parts of your section have pooled after past storms – a corner of the lawn, a low spot near the driveway, an area close to the house – it’s worth getting these looked at before cyclone season rather than after. Persistent pooling near your foundations is one of the more serious risks a heavy weather event can expose.
Don’t wait for the warning
The properties that come through storm season best are usually the ones that had their drainage checked beforehand, not during. If it’s been a while since your gutters, sumps or stormwater system were properly looked at, now’s the time – not when the forecast turns.
We’re ready when you need us
As your local Hawke’s Bay drainage experts, we’ve seen what our region’s weather can do, and we know how to help you prepare for it properly – calmly, practically, and without the scare tactics.
Also worth a look is our Spring maintenance checklist, which covers wider seasonal upkeep beyond just drainage.
Get in touch with our team today to book a pre-season drainage check, and head into cyclone season with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
To prepare your drains for cyclone season you can start by clearing gutters and downpipes of leaves and debris, checking that any sumps or soak pits are draining properly, and identifying any areas on your property where water has pooled in past storms.
Signs that your stormwater system isn't coping include pooling water on your lawn or driveway, soggy ground that stays wet long after rain has stopped, slow-draining gutters, overflowing downpipes, or an unusual smell near drains or sumps.
Homeowners are responsible for all private drainage on their property, from roof gutters and downpipes through to the pipes connecting to the council's stormwater network. Council manages the public network beyond that connection point.
Ideally, well before the season starts rather than once heavy rain is forecast. This gives time to identify and fix any issues while the ground is dry and access is easier.
Yes, heavy rain can damage your property even if you haven't had drainage problems before. A property with no history of drainage issues can still be affected if gutters are blocked, the ground is already saturated from earlier rain, or a sump or soak pit hasn't been maintained. Regular checks help catch developing issues early.
Clean your gutters and downpipes at least once before cyclone season begins, and again afterwards if nearby trees drop a lot of leaves. A clogged gutter can't carry heavy rain away fast enough, sending water over the edge and toward your walls and foundations. Checking them now, while the weather is calm, is far easier than doing it once a storm has already started.
If you notice pooling water at a low point on your property before a storm, get it assessed by a drainage professional rather than waiting for the next heavy rain. Persistent pooling near your foundations is one of the more serious risks a storm can expose, and it's much easier to diagnose and fix while the ground is still dry than once it's saturated.
A pre-season drainage check typically involves clearing gutters and downpipes, inspecting your sump or soak pit for signs it isn't coping, and looking at any low points on your property that have pooled in past storms. The goal is to catch and fix small issues while the ground is dry, before cyclone season puts real pressure on your drainage system.
You can check some things yourself before cyclone season, like clearing visible leaves and debris from your gutters and downpipes. However, inspecting a sump or soak pit, diagnosing pooling at low points, or checking underground pipework is best left to a licensed drainage professional, particularly if you've already noticed signs your system isn't coping.
Spring maintenance helps prepare your property for cyclone season because many of the same checks overlap, particularly around gutters, downpipes and drainage. Tackling these tasks during spring, before the weather turns, means small issues get caught and fixed while conditions are calm, rather than left until a storm is already forecast and time is short.
Once a storm warning has been issued, it's largely too late for a full drainage check, though clearing an obviously blocked gutter or downpipe can still help in the short term. The real value of preparing your drainage - checking gutters, sumps and known low points - comes from doing it well before the season starts, while there's time to fix problems properly.
