What should you check after heavy rain at an Algarve property?

Begin outside and stay on safe ground

Walk the normal access route once conditions are safe. From the ground, look for overflow from gutters, blocked outlets, displaced debris, water collecting at the base of walls and runoff crossing paths or terraces.

Do not climb onto a wet roof, ladder or parapet. If the roofline, valley or hidden drain cannot be inspected safely, record the limitation and arrange the appropriate inspection.

• Take one wide photograph of every affected elevation
• Record active overflow before it stops
• Keep people away from slippery paving and loose debris
• Treat fallen cables, unstable elements and structural movement as urgent hazards

Follow the water path

A stain alone does not explain the route. Photograph the source area, the path below it and the final damp or pooled zone. Note wind direction, time of day and whether the issue occurred during one exceptional downpour or repeats in ordinary rain.

Check roof drainage from a distance, downpipe outlets, parapets, window and door edges, terrace joints and the slope away from the building. The goal is evidence for diagnosis, not a DIY repair during bad conditions.

Check inside before marks fade

Look at ceilings, external-wall corners, window reveals, closed rooms and cupboards near affected walls. Photograph the room first and the mark second so the location remains clear.

Visible moisture should be dried promptly and the water source investigated. Do not seal or paint a wet or mouldy surface: a cosmetic finish can hide the evidence without solving the problem.

Create a useful remote report

For an absent owner, a short report should include date and time, map location, weather event, four overview photographs, close-ups and any access restriction. Repeat the same views after 24–48 hours of dry weather when practical.

Classify findings into immediate safety, inspection needed and routine maintenance. This prevents a blocked gutter, a failed joint and a cosmetic stain from being treated as the same job.