Stay Safe from Floods: Tips for Protecting Your House
Flooding can be devastating to a home. It poses a threat of mold and mildew, which both have significant health implications for the people who live in or visit your house. The water also damages floors, carpets, furniture, and appliances that are not waterproofed. It’s important to take some precautions to avoid getting flooded and having to deal with flood restoration.
Protect your foundation. Flooding can cause structural damage to the building, and make a home more likely to be damaged by wind or other weather conditions in future storms. To protect your home’s foundation from flooding, install gutters that direct water away from the house. This will allow rainwater to flow outside instead of pool on the ground around it. Make sure gutter caps are installed so they close when there is not enough rainfall for them to do their job properly.
Install downspouts at least three feet above ground level and redirect them away from potential flood zones such as sewer drains or septic tanks . Consider replacing missing shingles with metal roof materials if you’ve had problems with leaks after heavy rains before – these materials will be more resistant to damage. Make sure your home is elevated at least six inches off the ground and away from any potential flood zones like sewers or septic tanks . This may involve adding fill dirt under a house with low clearance, raising it on piles of blocks, or elevating it on stilts that are anchored into bedrock.
Protect your furniture and appliances. Flooding can also negatively impact household items such as furniture and appliances including dishwashers, washing machines in basements where water runoff enters through sump pumps, air conditioners in attics which require ventilation when not working properly during flooding events – but you might have noticed they aren’t waterproofed either! To protect these items: move them as far away from the water as possible if you can, or use a heavy-duty tarp to wrap them in. In some cases, it may be necessary to remove delicate items such as furniture and place them on high ground until flooding subsides.
Lastly – protect your electrical equipment! Remove any appliances that require electricity before power is cut off by floodwaters. Unplug electronics and disconnect all cords so they don’t get wet while waiting for the floods to recede. If there is an imminent danger of sudden flooding, do not plug anything into outlets without turning off main breakers first; this includes unplugging televisions sets (unless they have their own independent surge protector) .
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