Three Steps To Prevent Flood Damage

3/9/2022 (Permalink)

You can Avoid a lot of Flood Damage by Following These Three Steps.

All properties are prone to occasional weather-related damage. Throughout some seasons and in some locations around the country, storm damage is quite frequent. In fact, in the United States, flooding is the most common and most costly product of natural disasters.

There are hardly any regions in the world that are completely immune to weather-related damage. In White Bear Lake, MN, the flood risk is moderate to severe.

Depending on where you live, your risk for flood damage or water damage may be high during certain seasons. Fortunately, no matter which region your building resides in, there are some steps you can take to reduce water damage from infiltrating your building. To combat potential damage, evaluate, prepare, and prevent.

Three Key Steps to Prevent Flood Damage:

Evaluate

First, determine whether or not your property is at risk for flooding, and examine how well your building structure can fare storm damage.

FEMA provides a map that evaluates flood risk by state and city. The flood map divides regions into zones that represent flood risk. orange zones are the least likely to experience damages, then blue zones, followed by yellow zones. The most at risk are blue zones with red stripes.

Orange zones face significant flood risk once every 500 years and are the least at risk for damages. Blue zones face significant flood damage once every 100 years.

Yellow zones represent an unknown flood risk, and if you live in a yellow zone, you should consult with local authorities or neighbors to gauge your property's risk of water damage.

Blue zones with red stripes are the most at risk and require extensive preparation to prevent serious damage. Usually, blue zones with red stripes live near bodies of water.

Understanding what zone type your property resides in will help you to prepare and prevent future water damages.

Prepare

After you pinpoint your property's risk for flood damage, invest in ways you can protect your home from water damage. Some flood renovations are free, while others require maintenance.

For example, if your property is prone to damages, elevate appliances like air conditioning units and water heaters above flood level.

Additionally, research insurance policies even if your property has a low risk of damage. If your property is in a location that is high risk, you should strongly consider investing in insurance.

Prevent

If a storm is coming or has already taken place, take precautionary steps to address water damage on your property.

Shut off your property's electricity if flood water may infiltrate your electrical system. Turn on your sump pump or shop vacuum and remove any water quickly if there is any on your property.

You should turn off water lines, and clear out gutters for water overflow. You may also use sandbags to block gaps that may lead to flooding.

Turn on your sump pump or shop vacuum and remove any water quickly if there is any on your property.

Even if you take prevention steps to reduce risks associated with water damage, some risks will inevitably remain. If you are concerned about potential water damage, call a local storm remediation company that can get to your property quickly and assist you.