How to Prevent Flood Damage

Even with today’s weather forecasting as accurate as it can be in warning of floods, there is often little anyone can do to stop flood damage. The best we can do is to prepare for these floods and hope that by doing so, we can minimize any damage to home or personal property. If you are in a flood-prone area and would like to prepare for an eventual flood, check out the tips below.

Tip 1 – Make Use of Information Resources

Organizations in flood prone areas can alert you to areas more likely to be flooded, and what levels are likely to be vulnerable to flooding. Often, this information can help you prepare by filling in lower areas of your property and elevating buildings that can be damaged by flood waters. Check with local community resources that educate you about restrictions related to construction of buildings.

Tip 2 – Prepare with Flood Insurance

Talk with insurance agents and programs about flood insurance. Become more aware of coverage offered by various insurance programs and policies. Homeowner policies, for example, usually do not cover damage cause by floods.

Tip 3 – Protect Valuable Documents

Rent safe deposit boxes and keep valuable documents in them, such as insurance policies, birth certificates, photos, business licenses, wills, investments such as stocks and bonds and other important papers. Record valuable information such as valuable property inventories, family records and genealogies on CD’s you can keep in a safe and dry place where they will be less likely to become damaged by flood waters.

Tip 4 – Keep Informed on Weather Conditions

If you were to watch television news programs that can alert you to possibly adverse weather conditions that could develop into floods, you would be more likely to avoid damages caused by floods. How? Because you would have time to move some of your valuable property out of the flood zone.

If you live in areas in the mountains and valleys that are vulnerable to flash flooding of nearby streams, use concrete or large boulders to secure the banks of stream beds that run through, or past, your property. Flash floods can often wash away soil near homes, resulting in the foundation of homes and the homes themselves being destroyed.

Tip 6 – Store Sandbags

Purchase canvas or burlap band that can hold sand. If you have sand on your property, use it to fill and store sandbags where they will be accessible. If you don’t have sand, take your sandbags to where there is sand, fill them, and store them on your property.

 Tip 7  – Emergency Phone Numbers

In the event that you or members of your family were to become trapped in your home during a flood, you couldn't save your valuable property if you weren't able to save yourself. But what if you had portable phones you could use to call for help? But you would also need phone numbers. You will need to keep these phone numbers in higher areas of your home where they will be accessible if your home began filling with flood waters.