How to Prepare Your Home for a Flood

Floods are one of the most common natural disasters in the United States, killing an average of 110 people and costing an average of $3.7 billion each year, according to the American Red Cross. Here's what you can do to be prepared.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Candle Pantry
• Maps
• Battery Radios
• Waterproof Boxes For Valuables
• Canned Foods
• First Aid Kits
• Can Openers
• Corks Or Stoppers
• Waterproof Boxes For Valuables
• Sufficient Sandbags
• Flashlights
• Cellular Phone Batteries
• Cellular Phone Covers/carrying Cases
• Cellular Phone Minutes
• Cellular Phone Services
• Cellular Phones
• Flashlights
• Maps

1. Understand the damage that floods can cause, such as rolling boulders, trees ripped out of the ground, buildings and bridges destroyed and debris slides.

2. Ask your local planning and zoning office whether your property is above or below the flood level, and find out whether your area has a history of flooding.

3. Become familiar with the warning signs in your community in case a flood occurs.

4. Learn what the community's evacuation plan is so you can be prepared.

5. Make sure you have flood insurance, since most home owners' insurance will not reimburse you for flood damage.

6. Keep important documents - including insurance policies, birth certificates and passports - in a waterproof box where you can easily access them.

7. If your furnace, water heater or electricity panel is on the first floor of your home, consider having it moved to the attic, where it is less likely to be damaged by floodwater.

8. Plug sewer traps with check valves, which prevent floodwater from backing up into the drains of your home. In an emergency, you can also use large corks or stoppers to plug sinks and tubs.

9. Check your local building codes to find out whether they will permit you to build flood walls or other barriers around your home to prevent water from entering the building.

10. Protect basement walls by sealing them with waterproofing compounds so water can't come in through cracks.

11. Keep a battery-operated radio in your home in case your power goes out.

12. Talk to your family ahead of time to decide where you will go if a flood occurs, so everyone will know what to do.

13. Prepare some emergency supplies, such as canned food, a handheld can opener, a flashlight, batteries and first aid materials.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid floodwater, because it can contain sewage runoff.
• Remember never to walk, swim or drive in floodwater, since you may not realize how fast the water is moving.
• Be on the lookout for snakes, since floods often flush them from their homes.

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[Nuggit]

on 12/5/2007 Glad I don't have to worry about floods

[arwen1964]

on 12/5/2007 Be careful also of what you do once the flooding has begun. If you move your belongings to higher ground and they wind up flood damaged anyway, many policies will not compensate you, because they deem it to be caused by your actions rather than the flood.

Even if your home is above the flood zone, you can still wind up affected, due to roads being impassible, stores being out of business until flood claims are processed, and other unforeseen problems.

And if you are being evacuated, please be mindful that the ones risking their behind and exhausting themselves for your sake do not want to rescue camping equipment, golf clubs, and your children's entire board game collection. Be sensible also when returning to a flood zone. Making overworked public officials help you out of a zone just so you can get a carton of cigarettes and a case of beer is just rude. (This actually happened).

[ZachC]

on 12/5/2007 enjoyed your piece and found it very thorough...

[RFerriANP]

on 12/5/2007 I enjoyed your article on helping people prepare for a flood. However, there are two important facts I would like add. First, if anyone is on prescription medications they should make out a list of their medication, any known allergies, and their doctor/nurses’ names and numbers, as well as the contact information for their pharmacy. It is also important to speak with your health care provider and insurer about obtaining an “emergency” stock supply of your medications if possible. People on living saving medications for such conditions as severe cardiac disease, diabetes or AIDS simply cannot “do without” for a few days.

The second point I would like to suggest is don’t forget about your pets as family members! You need to come up with an evacuation plan for them as well as the rest of your family. Go to www.ready.gov for more info.

on 11/22/2005 FLOODEX(tm) foundation flood vents meet FEMA/NFIP, BOCA, IBC building codes for homes in 20,000 U.S. towns with designated flood hazard zones, help protect lives, homes, infrastructure, and the environment from flood hazards. Visit http:/www.floodex.com