It is inevitable, even if you think you live on high ground, that you will receive a flood warning. You may not live anywhere near large bodies of water, or even small ones. That leaves you with the question of how you may protect your home from a flood. The following are five tips to keep the flood at bay and protect your home from flood damage.
Tip One to Avoid Flood Damage
When you’re thinking about moving, or building your home, the best course of action is to stay at high elevations above any sort of bodies of water. If that isn’t possible, then you need to make sure any electrical in your home is safe. Water and electricity don’t mix. If you plan on building a home, or do any sort of renovations to your current home, it’s advisable to move any electrical sockets, switches or wiring to at least a foot and a half above your flood area. This prevents flood damage to something costly. While you’re considering this, it may be a good idea to move a furnace or other such fixture to the working parts of your home, well above your flood level, too.
Tip Two to Avoid Flood Damage
While you worry about the fixtures inside your home, the outside fixtures are just as important. Many homes also have outside outlets. These too need to be adjusted so that if the flood is limited to the outside of your home water does not seep in through these small places. Many homes also have air conditioners and other equipment outside of their home. It is necessary to elevate and stabilize these units, and protect any lines that lead into homes. Floods will find a way in through these places. Fuel tanks especially, need to be carefully anchored to their attached lines. If the fuel tank breaks free during a flood it can contaminate an area and lead to more consequences.
Tip Three to Avoid Flood Damage
Routine cleaning is a cost effective and easy way to avoid flood damage. Many homeowners forget that some floods can be avoided by maintaining the area where water collects. That may mean gutters, drains and downspouts in your area. You can also keep an eye on storm drains in your neighborhood. If they are blocked it would be beneficial to put a call into the city. Leaves and other seasonal debris often block storm drains, and hinder your efforts to avoid flood damage.
Tip Four to Avoid Flood Damage
A potential solution for your home, that doesn’t require a renovation, would be a ‘dry proofing’ of walls. Dry proofing is an application of some sealant material that is intended to keep out flood waters. This helps for home owners who cannot update homes for other reasons, avoid flood damage to their homes.
Tip Five to Avoid Flood Damage
It’s beneficial to talk with city employees where you live about the importance of how water flows in your area. If it’s known in your area, that water remains for a long time, there may be a case to get a grading or slope added to your street. If it’s not possible for your city to do this, you may try to create a better slope in your immediate property area. For example, your driveway or lot.
When you seek to avoid flood damage in your home, there are many things you can do. Start by elevating your electrical circuitry. Next, be sure to secure other fixtures indoor and outdoors, such as fuel tanks. By doing so, you prevent rising flood waters from causing more damage. Last, remember to seal walls and maintain clean drainage pipes around your home. By following these steps, you limit the flood damage to your property, and protect your ho
