Preparing Your Home for Potential Flooding

Fortunate or not the plain fact is that we, as humans, are not able to single handedly control the weather. Rains fall, winds blow, banks burst and floods happen.  While these natural events are not in your control, protecting your home from them is, and that includes flooding preparedness.

First things first: make sure your homeowners policy is in place and includes flood insurance.

Next, set up or retrofit the infrastructure of your home so that if a flood occurs you can recover with minimal damage. Here are some areas to pay attention to:

• In general it’s a good idea to keep supplies like sandbags, plywood, lumber and plastic sheeting available so that you can minimize the damage caused by any number of potential perils, whether they be hurricane, winds or flood waters
• Prevent flood water from raising through your floors by sealing (AKA “tanking”) your floors and walls
• Install water resistant water skirting-boards
  Purchase flood boards for doors, which can be installed in the case of imminent flooding
• Purchase specially designed covers that can be placed over ventilation bricks when flooding is imminent
• Fit your drains and pipes with non-return valves
• Install a pump or under-floor void to extract flood water
• If you live in an area where flooding is common, lay tiles with rugs as opposed to installing carpets
• Where possible, use water resistant materials like stainless steel or solid wood rather than chipboard
• Raise appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers on plinths to prevent them from being damaged by flood water
• Elevate electrical panel boxes, heat pumps, and water heaters to areas less likely to be subject to flood waters
• Elevate and anchor fuel tanks
• Where applicable place valuable items on high mounted shelves
• Keep your emergency bag prepared and easily accessible in case the need to evacuate arises

It’s important to understand that even with all these preventative measures taken, flood damage may still occur. If you find yourself facing damages to your home whether due to a flood or any other peril, reach out to the experts at LMR Public Adjusters to be sure you get the compensation you deserve from your insurance company.