How to avoid renting houses that flood in Lagos and environs. 

Ever experienced renting a good house that’s all you practically want? It’s cool, it’s comfortable and all that until the rainy season rolls around. 

And now you discover that you have to swim out of your house to wherever it is you’re going to. 

This can always be a real mess no matter how funny it sounds. And it’s definitely not a good situation to be in. 

You know how we’re always advised to rent an apartment in the rainy season? Because it’ll help you not to fall victim to a house that gets flooded and all… 

It’s a piece of good advice quite frankly but let’s be honest, 

you can’t always wait around for the rainy season before you rent an apartment if you’re house hunting. 

So most times, people become victims of houses that flood during the rainy seasons. 

So how do you know how to spot and avoid these mini Mississippi houses when house hunting in dry seasons? 

Follow me closely and you’ll be glad you did. 

For starters, you’d like to avoid houses that are close to a water body. Houses built close to water bodies such as lakes, rivers, canals, etc. are prone to flooding during the rainy season as heavy rainfall significantly increases the water levels in rivers, lakes, and seas.

 If the water body is already near its capacity, additional rainwater can cause it to overflow its banks and flood nearby areas. 

Therefore, before renting a house, check around for water bodies such as streams, lakes, canals, etc and avoid houses in that area. 

Secondly, the tiling of the walls of a house above the skirting level is a good indicator of a house that floods when it rains. Houses that the walls are tiled almost to the high heavens scream suspicious because the owner is trying to conceal dampness on the walls and the visible stains of water. Therefore, they are a big no-no because there’s every tendency of that house to flood when it rains.

Third pointer, you’d like to stay away from houses with water marks on the external walls. Houses with water marks on the external walls even in the dry season indicate where water has gathered or seeped into the walls. This can happen when there is frequent flooding or heavy rainfall that the building’s drainage system cannot handle.

These moisture marks can also suggest that the ground around the house does not drain well. If water does not flow away from the house properly, it can pool around the foundation and seep into the walls. It becomes wise therefore to avoid such houses as they can be prone to flooding.

Another indicator is simply looking out for the type of vegetation that grows around the property.

Areas prone to flooding often have vegetation that can withstand or thrive in wet conditions. Examples include marsh grasses, reeds, and certain types of trees like mangroves. 

These plants are adapted to survive in environments with standing water or saturated soil. Sighting these types of vegetation should give you an indication that the area is a waterlogged area that would be prone to flooding.

You can never be too careful with these tips as they give an insight into houses that flood easily while you house hunt in the dry season.

Bonus tip: As a Lagosian, you’d like to avoid areas that are close to the Ogun River as they are usually prone to flooding. Areas such as Irawo, parts of Magboro, parts of Warewa, parts of Akute, and generally areas that are along the course of the Ogun River are prone to flooding every year.

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