Spring is right around the corner, which means we are about to experience the winter thaw and elevated levels of rainfall. All of the excess water needs to go somewhere, and often creates flooding issues. Follow these 3 steps in order to prevent flooding from becoming an issue in your home.

• Evaluate the Risk of Flooding in Your Home
• Protect Your House from Flooding
• Limit Damage After Flooding Has Begun

Evaluate the Risk of Flooding in Your Home

The first step in protecting your home from flood damage is to assess the risk of potential flooding in your region. Pay close attention to your local weather report so you are aware of any severe rain or winter melting expected in your area. As spring approaches, warmer temperatures and increased rainfall lead to a higher risk of flooding. Also, refer to the FEMA Flood Map Service to view reports of your regions flood history. To review a flood report specific to your home enter your zip code, click “view web map,” and click “show all products for this area.” After analyzing the severity of flooding in your region, call a flood insurance agent or adjuster to determine the specific flood level of your house. The flood level is the height at which flood waters could rise during inclement weather. Ideally, your home should be built above this level to protect your home from reasonable flood damage. Finally, note that standard homeowners insurance policies do not protect you from the risk of flooding. Instead, you will need to purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program or as an additional policy through your homeowners’ insurance company.

Protect Your House from Flooding

Once you’ve accessed your home’s overall risk of flooding, it’s important to take the necessary steps to flood-proof your home. Here are some flood control methods to follow to protect your home from rising water.

• Install a Foundation Vent or a Sump Pump – Foundation vents allow flood water to flow through your home rather than pooling up around it. This helps relieve a significant amount of pressure on your walls and basement windows plus it provides an outlet for the flood water. Sump pumps are frequently used to pump water out of basements where flooding happens regularly. Be sure to purchase a sump pumpwith a backup battery so it can still be used when the power goes out. Read our blog on, “How to Install a Pedestal Sump Pump” for more information.
• Apply Coatings and Sealants – Coatings and sealants can be applied to your foundation, walls, windows, and doorways to help prevent significant flood water from leaking into your house through cracks.
• Install Check Valves – Make sure all pipes entering your house have check valves to prevent a flooded sewage system from backing up into your home.
• Raise Electrical Outlets and Switches – All of your electrical outlets, sockets, switches, and circuit breakers should be raised at least 1 foot above flood level in order to prevent electrical damage.
• Point Downspouts Away From Your Home – Be sure your downspouts are pointed away from your house, in the appropriate direction, to ensure gutter runoff doesn’t build up at the corners of your house and leak into the basement.
• Make Space Between Mulch and Siding – Keep some space between your mulch and siding so that the base of your house can completely dry after the flood. Plus, wet mulch can rot the siding of your home which can lead to leaks.
• Grade Your Lawn Away from the House – If your lawn is tilted towards your home, pools of water can easily build up around your house. Use heavy soil, containing clay, and sand to regrade your lawn so the surface runoff can drain away from your home.
• Raise your appliances above flood level – Be sure to raise your Air Conditioning Units, Generators, Water Heaters, Washing Machines, and Drying Machines above flood level.

Limit Damage Once Flooding Begins

If a storm is scheduled to hit in the next few hours, or if flooding already started, follow these steps to minimize damage to your personal property.

• Turn off your water line if this is the source of flooding.
• Clear out your gutters and drains so that water can flow freely through them.
• Use sandbags to block the water from flowing towards your house.
• Elevate rugs, furniture, electronics, and other valuables above the floor level.
• Shut off your electricity at the circuit breaker panel if the flood water is close to reaching your electrical system.
• If it’s not raining, open your windows to allow air to flow freely through your home.
• Turn on your sump pump, or use a shop vacuum, to remove water from your home as quickly as possible.
• Take photos or video footage of any flooding in your home to help support your claim with your flood insurance provider.