Dancing in the rain instead of rain dance
Everyone has certainly experienced this for themselves at some point: right now, in the peak summer months of July and August, it is often warm and even hot - and very dry. Not a cloud of rain clouds the blue sky. As a gardener you can't keep up with the watering cans - and the farmers complain about bad harvests because of the drought. The danger of forest fires is also increasing - we hear it constantly on the news.
So a good downpour or even a summer thunderstorm comes in handy - doesn't it?
On the one hand, yes - but these weather conditions harbor another danger that you might not think of right away: heavy rain with extremely high amounts of water in a small space, i.e. at least 25 liters per square meter in one hour.
The dried, hardened soil cannot quickly absorb that much water - and our sewage system is not designed for such quantities. Small streams can quickly become raging rivers - and the water "standing" on the surface seeks its way into lower areas, e.g. your cellar shaft or staircase.
In other words, exactly where we don't want it and can't use it.
According to a study in the current issue of the scientific journal Nature, flood events caused by heavy rainfall in northwestern Europe are likely to increase in the future.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1495-6
The German Weather Service has been recording heavy and continuous rain events since 2001. By definition, this requires at least 25 liters of rain per square meter in one hour - or 35 liters in 6 hours. The rainfall amounts in 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours are also recorded with radar measuring devices. Although this is less precise, it is more comprehensive than the exclusive use of weather stations, because torrential rainfall of this kind is often very localized.
The smart man takes precautions:
with SCHABUS water detectors and sensors, we are immediately alerted in case of water intrusion - and can still take protective measures in time, before the damage becomes bigger - e.g. close flaps and valves against the backwater of sewage from the sewer system, cover basement windows and light shafts or protect them with sandbags - as well as ground-level house entrances.
https://dev.elektrotechnik-schabus.de – mit Sicherheit entspannter
