When a flood strikes, it can trigger chaos and disaster in two ways. The first is the significant damage caused by the water, and the second is its long-term after-effects. If you feel relieved owning homeowners insurance, you still need to speak with your provider to ensure flood damage is covered in its policy, as it is not in many cases.
While house insurance may be quite helpful for property damage, this does not mean you do not have to do anything to minimize the damage of natural disasters that might take place. So let us know how you can help reduce the damage floods can do to your property.
How to Lessen Flood Damage in Homes
If you’re reading this article following the news that heavy rains are about to go your way and a flood is most likely to occur, you might be wondering how you can prepare for it. Thankfully, we’ve listed five valuable guidelines to decrease flood damage and help you prepare for the disaster that’s about to arrive.
1. Regularly clean your gutters
Maintaining the water drainage system of your property by cleaning and clearing what’s blocking the downspouts and gutters helps drain rainwater efficiently from your roof. Regularly doing this can make a huge difference in avoiding flooding. Moreover, rain barrels placed beneath downspouts can help gather runoff from the roof.
Ensuring your gutters are always clean and free of obstructions can help avoid water damage. In addition, taking preventive measures to prevent or minimize flood damage saves you the time of waiting for the restoration process to be done by professionals if your home suffers from significant water damage.
2. Keep your belongings off the ground
If you have valued belongings, important files, or pricey electronics and appliances in the basement, consider installing shelving to protect them from pooling water should flooding occur.
3. Know the trouble spots around your house
Look for places in your house where water often pools or gathers. Are there areas where drainage is a problem during heavy rains? Does your yard’s existing grading ensure the ground slopes away from the structure to carry water away from your house? Take note of these parts of your home as these are crucial to reducing flood damage.
Consider setting up drains or digging trenches to facilitate water flow away from the house and nearby buildings. Doing these helps lessen the flood damage to your family and home. Otherwise, you’ll need to hire companies that offer property & water damage restoration services in Springdale, AR, should the flood cause major damage to your house.
4. Shut down electricity if a flood is likely to occur
Your house’s electrical system can cause a shock risk during and after a flood, which might be hazardous for individuals and damage your possessions. To avoid this, ensure you’re not in danger of shocking yourself. Next, shut off all the electricity in all parts of your home that may be exposed to flooding, and never walk on floodwater.
The best thing you can do against floods is to prepare ahead of time, so it is essential to act to prevent flood damage before flood waters start invading your home.
5. Maintain clog-free pipes
Avoid running any fats, oils, or bacon grease down your drain that might cause obstruction. This is important during flooding as the pipes handle the excess water, so always guarantee your drains are clog-free.
