As the rainy season approaches, you might be asking yourself what you can do to prepare for floods. This might be something simple like checking your windows to make sure that they are sealed properly. Or it could be all about putting together a plan in the event that a flood happens at your home.
Here are five things you can do to prepare for a flood.
1. Make a Plan
The step towards flood preparation is to come up with a plan to get you and your family to safety. If you’re in a flood zone, you should know where the nearest shelter is and how to get to it.
Emergency prep by stocking up on food. In the event that the area around you floods and you can’t leave the house, you want to have food to prepare.
2. Secure the Roof and Windows
Even if the rain never gets higher than your ankle, you want to make sure your home is susceptible to flooding from above. Look for holes in your roof or other damage by checking the attic. Even the tiniest of holes can lead to a flooded home.
Check that no water enters through your windows either. Liquids always choose the path of least resistance, so splash water on it yourself to find any trouble spots.
3. Fix Slopes that Lead into the House
If you have an area that slopes into the house, this can lead to flooding quickly. While you might not be able to fix the slope itself, you can try to mitigate the amount of water that builds up.
Look into drainage methods that either spread the water out away from the house or drain out back the way it came.
4. Keep Sandbags and Instant Dams On Hand
To prevent any flood damage to your home, keep sandbags and instant dams on hand. Not all houses were built with floods in mind.
If you receive a flood advisory, you can quickly deploy these to doors, garages, and even windows to avoid water getting into the house.
5. Get Flood Insurance
Mother nature is unpredictable. Even with all the amount of preparation that you do, she can still get to you. That is why you should have flood insurance.
Flood insurance might not be able to replace memories and items with sentimental value, but it can at least soften the blow.
Look into flood insurance from the Flood Nerds to ensure that you’re taken care of after a disaster strikes.
Prepare for a Flood With These Tips
Now that you know how to prepare for a flood, don’t wait around until it is too late. Nature doesn’t always follow a pattern and waiting can lead to disaster for your home. Update your family with your plan and take any step necessary to protect your home.
If you want to learn more about how to prepare for natural disasters, then be sure to check out the rest of the blog. Share this article with your neighbors so they can prepare as well.
