How to Prepare For a Flood If you live in an area that is prone to floods, it is important to be aware of how you can prepare should a flood occur. Ignoring the fact that a flood is likely to happen is foolish, and will not benefit you or your family in the slightest.
Be Prepared The best way to combat a flood is to be prepared. You probably already know of several ways to prepare for a flood, but it is important to review how to be prepared often. Even if you don’t live in an area that is prone to flooding, you could still have flooding in your area. Anytime it rains, flooding is a possibility. It’s important to realize that most standard homeowners insurance does not cover water damage. If you’re dealing with water damage in Louisville, this will be especially important. In order to prepare for a flood, you should have emergency kits for you and your family. Emergency kits should be assembled for every family, in the event of any emergency.
72 Hour Kit You can use the emergency kits if a flood happens though. The most economical and efficient type of kit to assemble is the 72 hour kit. 72 hour kits should contain food, water, clothing, bedding, and other essentials for each member of your family to survive on for at least 72 hours, and be sure to include an emergency radio so that you can receive updates about the situation. Speaking of an emergency radio, another good way to prepare for a flood is to establish a communications plan and talk about it with your family.
Communication A communications plan is the plan for how your family is going to communicate in the event of an emergency. It is a good idea to designate a family member or friend who lives out of town for everyone to contact should an emergency occur.
If you do this, it will be easier to keep track of everyone because the designated family member will know who has checked in and who has not. If you live in an area with a high flood risk, it is important that you elevate the furnace, water heater, and electric panel in your home. If these appliances receive water damage in Louisville, the results can be disastrous. It is a better idea to try to prevent water damage rather than try to fix it after it has already happened. If you are looking into building a home in a flood-prone area, be very careful not to build your home on a floodplain. This will greatly increase the chances of your home flooding whenever it rains.
Elevation If you absolutely love a plot of land and still want to build on it despite it being a floodplain, there’s a things you can do. You should elevate your home if at all possible and also reinforce it. This will help deter the water from getting into your home. It is important to realize, however, that elevating and reinforcing your home does not make your home immune to floods. It simply helps reduce the risk of your home flooding. If you follow these simple steps, you should be well on your way to being able to prepare you and your family for a flood. Photo Credit: Steve Vance, The Magnificent Octopus