5 Tips to Protect Your Home from Flooding

5/26/2022 (Permalink)

Know your flood risk

It’s not uncommon to hear about floods in other parts of the country, but flooding can happen to you. Whether it happens from an earthquake or heavy rains, staying prepared can help you and your home survive unscathed if flooding does occur. To keep your home safe from flooding, follow these five tips for protecting your home from flooding.

1) Know your flood risk
If you’re at risk of flooding, don’t panic. It is possible to minimize your home’s vulnerability with careful preparation and mitigation measures. These include installing sump pumps, taking other steps, and having a restoration plan if floodwaters rise too high or take hold for too long. Just last year, residents in Modesto and Manteca were forced to evacuate their homes due to rising floodwaters caused by heavy rains that lasted several days. Although no one was hurt, many people lost everything they owned.

2) Prepare for flooding
Flood mitigation techniques may seem like a waste of time and money. Still, suppose you’re planning on living in an area that experiences flooding, like Modesto or Manteca. In that case, it’s worth taking preventative measures. There are many ways you can protect your home—from reinforcing basement walls and flood vents to using flood-proof switches for lighting.

3) Store Important Documents in Waterproof Bags
When at home, make sure important documents are stored in waterproof bags. If a flood does occur, you’ll want to be able to reach these records as quickly as possible. The CDC estimates that some $28 billion worth of damage is caused by flooding each year, so keeping your important documents safe is essential.

4) Keep an Emergency Kit Ready
In case of flooding, it’s essential to keep an emergency kit ready with crucial documents and supplies (e.g., nonperishable food, first aid kit, bottled water, blankets, flashlights). You can buy these items or put them together your own. Keep them in a bag or box and make sure they’re easy to access if you need them. The Red Cross recommends keeping one in your car at all times.

5) Prepare For Rain Storms
When it rains, it pours. And if a rainy day happens when you’re not prepared, you can quickly find yourself knee-deep in trouble. This doesn’t mean that a couple of rain barrels and an umbrella will keep your home dry (that’s what we’re here for). But there are several vital things you can do to mitigate flood damage as much as possible before it occurs. Follow the steps above, and you will have a good start. By all means, read through our blog for more handy tips.