With climate change, floods and other disasters have become so frequent the world over. You have to do all you can to protect your home from floods especially if you are in a flood-prone area. To do this, you first need to assess the risks posed to your place. This includes heavy downpours, rising sea levels, and other unusual weather patterns that your area has experienced in the past. You may also need to consult government officials near your home and for advice on how to prepare appropriately.
Follow through and find out how to flood-proof your home.
Assess the flood risk
There are government bodies that deal with disasters like floods, earthquakes, etc. Consult them to help you know the flood-prone zones, floodplain boundaries and the like. This will help you know whether your home a flood zone. You can also ask the neighbors who have lived in that area for some time. They will tell you whether the place has ever flooded in the past. This is especially pertinent when buying a home in a new area. Educate yourself on the potential risks.
Apply for flood insurance.
The law requires that you get flood insurance if you are living in a 100-year floodplain. The normal and standard government insurance does not cover damages caused by the water. Therefore having flood insurance cushions you from such damages.
Elevate the utilities that can be damaged by water.
Some utilities like boilers, air conditioners, gas cookers, fridges and the like can easily be destroyed by floods. If the place you are living has frequent floods, ensure they are set on higher ground as you plan on how to deal with the floods.
Redirect waters away from your home.
Redirecting water is done by changing the landscape. This can be done by digging trenches to channel water away from your home. You can also use porous outdoor surfaces that will reroute the water and ensure that it doesn’t come your way.
Seek municipal sewerage services.
In places where there are notorious floods, the municipal councils have come up with programs to fund the installation of a drainage system and therefore channeling the water away from your home. Ensure that your home drainage system is perfectly done and all water should be directed away from your home and thus flood proof.
Involve everyone
Contact your neighbors to plan together on how to reclaim the land to reduce floods. Let everyone be involved in the job. One person cannot make a major difference at all. Involve the community and county emergency team or local environmental group to support the project. Make sure the project is more sustainable under collective effort.
Preparation is everything but some problems just can’t be avoided with all the prep in the world. Sometimes moving is one of the only viable options for dealing with floods. If you live in a flood prone are like Florida, Rodi Cargo is a great mover to check out.
Do not give up yet. There are so many options you have not explored regarding protecting your home from floods. Look at the things that you can do on your own; is it the trenches around your home. Again, involve your neighbors and plan for a workable plan and where you need assistance from the government, please do it and keep the floods at bay.
