Protect Your Home Against Flooding

8/27/2020 (Permalink)

Keep Your Home Secure Against Flood Damage

Flooding of your home can cause major problems. Fortunately, there are ways to protect your home from heavy rains.
Maintain Existing Flood Prevention Structures
Many homes have common flood prevention features, such as gutters and sump pumps, already installed. It is important to maintain this equipment.

The following are some routine maintenance activities that will help keep your home secure against flood damage:

• Clean and inspect gutters (fall and spring)
• Clean storm drains (at least once a year)
• Test sump pump and clean screen (every season)
• Inspect roof (every year)
  
  

When completing the above tasks, be sure to check for damage such as loose gutters or missing shingles. The suggested frequency for each task will vary depending on your specific situation. For example, if you have trees near your home, you will likely need to clean your gutters more often. If you suspect that you will be unable to do any of these jobs, you may wish to hire a professional contractor for some or all of your home's routine maintenance tasks.

Consider Home Improvement Projects

In addition to maintaining whatever flood-proofing systems your home already has, you may decide to do some home improvement projects to further protect your home from flooding.

The following are some common improvements that you can make to keep your house safe in heavy rains:

• Install any of the above items (gutters, storm drain, sump pump) that you do not already have
• Grade your lawn so that it slopes away from house
• Upgrade seals around windows and doors
  
  

Employ Temporary Solutions

Even well-prepared homes may need additional protection during very heavy rains. If a severe storm is headed your way, you may want to install sandbags or other flood protection devices such as inflatable dams.
The above suggestions will help protect your home from flooding. However, even the most well-prepared homes can suffer storm damage. You may need to enlist the help of experienced restoration professionals to get your home back to normal quickly and safely.