How To Prepare For a Flood If You Live in a Flood Zone

1/8/2022 (Permalink)

Prepare your home in case of flood damage.

Protect Your Home From a Flood and Financial Security

Many homeowners may assume that their homes are safe from floods if they live away from coastal areas and large lakes and rivers. However, no residence is immune from this potentially devastating threat. To assess your home’s risk, access your community’s flood map on the FEMA NFIP website. If you reside in an area vulnerable to flooding, there are several steps you can take to help protect both your home and your financial security.

Purchase Flood Insurance

One of the best ways to protect yourself from potentially devastating flood damage is to purchase a flood insurance policy. Home insurance policies do not typically cover this peril. Without coverage, you may have to fund expensive cleanup and restoration costs out-of-pocket. If you have questions regarding flood insurance, you should contact your insurance company. You may also find useful information on the FEMA NFIP website.

Be Prepared

To help minimize potential flooding damage, homeowners residing in flood zones should safeguard vital equipment and have essential tools readily available. Adequate preparation should include the following initiatives:

• Elevating HVAC equipment off the basement floor
  
• Purchasing a sump pump and hose
  
• Having a functioning backup power source accessible
  
• Preparing sandbags or obtaining a reusable flood deterrent device
  
  

Accomplishing these steps may divert floodwaters away from your home, protect essential equipment from extensive damage if flooding does occur, and help you quickly drain standing water out of your house.

Complete Home Maintenance Procedures

As an additional safeguard, every homeowner in New Briton, PA, should also complete routine maintenance procedures, such as clearing debris from gutters. If you have a basement, you should also check for cracks and holes in the walls and promptly fix any existing issues.

Be Proactive

The FEMA NFIP website offers useful tools that can help educate homeowners about both specific flood risks and flood insurance. Although it may be impossible to fully eliminate your home’s flood risk, completing appropriate proactive measures may help minimize flooding damage or allow you to avoid costly out-of-pocket expenses. Taking preemptive action is particularly essential if you live in an area susceptible to flooding.