Tips to Flood-Proof Your Home
With flooding, your home belongings, furniture, and the building itself are all at risk of damage. Over 14,000 American homes experience a water damage emergency every day. Insurance claims for water damage reach a whopping $10,000 on average.
Water damage may be weather-related or arise from plumbing issues. With the former, you may not have so much control, but the latter is largely preventable and may be just as devastating.
What can you do to keep your home dry?
There are safety measures you can take to flood-proof your home and save you thousands of dollars on repairs. Here is a collection of simple and practical tips for homeowners.
How to Flood Proof Your Home
You may have remembered to get insured against water damage. These ideas will save the hassle of claiming that insurance.
1. Be aware of your home’s vulnerabilities
This is often the first step to prepare for a flood. Risk assessment can be done using online tools or by word of mouth from long term residents. Ask local real estate agents.
In some areas, these agents are obligated to provide you with information on if the house has been flooded before.
2. Appropriate valves
Flooding from overflowing sewer water can be prevented by fixing backflow prevention valves. These allow a unidirectional flow of water and will contribute to keeping your home dry. Seek out a plumber to inspect and install valves on the pipes around your home.
3. Use flood-proof doors and windows
This will do your home a lot of good. Any opening should be watertight to seal out (or in) rising water.
4. Come up high
In flood situations, height is of the essence. Make sure your home’s foundation is in good condition and keep valuables off the ground as much as you can. Floodwater can reach surprising heights so stay on top of the situation.
5. Build a wall
High-rise walls that are sturdy and resistant can help immensely in flood proofing your home. You could consider surrounding the property with gating that can withstand the pressure of water.
6. Go unconventional
A different approach may be to focus less on keeping water out, and more on keeping your belongings safe by raising them up or waterproof storage ware. If your home is at high risk of flooding, this is a lemonade-out-of-lemons approach.
Contact Us
Looking for a way to flood proof your home or handle water damage? Look no further than Integrity Restoration and Remodeling. Trust us to restore the integrity of your space,
With nearly two decades in the industry, we are poised to offer stellar restoration and remodeling services. We also offer water clean-up on an emergency basis. Contact us today.
Conclusion
Do not always be at the mercy of the elements. Preparedness is key to reduce the flood vulnerability of your home.