How to Protect Your Home From Flooding

Learn how to stop flooding in your home.

Spring is right around the corner, which means we are about to experience the winter thaw and elevated levels of rainfall. All the excess water needs to go somewhere, and it often creates flooding issues.

Because of this, it’s crucial to equip yourself with the knowledge and tools necessary to mitigate potential flood damage. Follow these three steps from Blain’s Farm & Fleet to prevent flooding from becoming an issue in your home.

Evaluate the Risk of Flooding in Your Home

The first step in protecting your home from flood damage is to assess the risk of potential flooding in your region. Pay close attention to your local weather report. So you are aware of any severe rain or winter melting expected in your area. As spring approaches, warmer temperatures and increased rainfall lead to a higher risk of flooding.

Also refer to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Map Service to view reports of your region’s flood history. To review a flood report specific to your home, enter your zip code and click “view web map.” Then, click “show all products for this area.”

After analyzing the severity of flooding in your region, call a flood insurance agent or adjuster to determine the specific flood level of your house. The flood level is the height at which flood waters could rise during inclement weather. Ideally, your home should be built above this level to protect it from reasonable flood damage.

Finally, note that standard homeowner’s insurance policies do not protect you from the risk of flooding. Instead, you will need to purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program or as an additional policy through your homeowners insurance company. This is extra important if you live in a high-risk flood zone.

Protect Your House from Flooding

Once you’ve accessed your home’s overall risk of flooding, it’s important to take the necessary steps to flood-proof your home. Here are some flood-control methods to follow to protect your home from rising water.

Install a Foundation Vent or a Sump Pump

Foundation vents allow flood water to flow through your home rather than pooling up around it. This helps relieve a significant amount of pressure on your walls and basement windows. Plus, it provides an outlet for the flood water.

People frequently use sump pumps to pump water out of basements where flooding happens regularly. Be sure to purchase a sump pump with a backup battery. So you can still use it when the power goes out. Read our blog on how to install a pedestal sump pump for more information.

Apply Coatings and Sealants

You can apply coatings and sealants to any walls, windows, doorways, and foundation cracks to help prevent significant flood water from leaking into your house.

Install Check Valves

Make sure all pipes entering your house have check valves to prevent a flooded sewage system from backing up into your home.

Raise Electrical Outlets and Switches

All of your electrical outlets, sockets, switches, and circuit breakers should be raised at least one foot above flood level to prevent electrical damage.

Point Downspouts Away From Your Home

Be sure your downspouts are pointed away from your house, in the appropriate direction. This will ensure gutter runoff doesn’t build up at the corners of your house and leak into the basement.

Make Space Between Mulch and Siding

Keep some space between your mulch and siding so that the base of your house can completely dry after the flood. Plus, wet mulch can rot the siding of your home, which can lead to leaks.

Grade Your Lawn Away From the House

If your lawn is tilted towards your home, pools of water can easily build up around your house. Use heavy soil containing clay and sand to regrade your lawn, so the surface runoff can drain away from your home.

Raise Your Appliances Above Flood Level

Be sure to raise your air conditioning units, generators, water heaters, washing machines, and drying machines above flood level.

Limit Damage Once Flooding Begins

If a storm is scheduled to hit in the next few hours or if flooding already started, follow these steps to minimize damage to your personal property.

• Turn off your water line if it is the source of flooding.
• Clear out your gutters and drains, so water can flow freely through them.
• Use sand bags or flood bags to block the water from flowing towards your house.
• Elevate rugs, furniture, electronics, and other valuables above the floor level.
• Shut off your electricity at the circuit breaker panel if the flood water is close to reaching your electrical system.
• If it’s not raining, open your windows to allow air to flow freely through your home.
• Turn on your sump pump or use a shop vacuum to remove water from your home as quickly as possible.
• Take photos or video footage of any flooding in your home to help support your claim with your flood insurance provider.

For more how-tos like this one, check out our Home Maintenance Blog.