Residential Flood Barriers – Best Way to Protect Your Home from Flooding
Climate change has changed the weather patterns all over the world. It has also made storms and hurricanes stronger. In 2017 alone, Hurricanes Irma and Harvey have brought destruction to residences and businesses in Florida and Texas respectively. Lots of people found their homes submerged in flood water because of the hurricane. That’s why experts recommend the installation of residential floor barriers.
Flooding can strike anywhere and at any time. It is one of the most common and most expensive natural disasters in the United States. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, no state or territory is safe.
If you ignore the warning, then you will be sloshing around soaked flooring material, walls, lighting, furniture, appliances, and keepsakes. Your electric devices will be ruined. After the flooding, mold will follow soon.
After the flood, you’ll find yourself tearing down walls to replace soaked insulation, ripping out flooring, and replacing your electrical system. If you want to avoid the hassles connected with floods, get a residential flood barrier.
Avoid Flood Damage
The best way to avoid water damage is to stay above water. The elevation of the property is the only margin of safety when it comes to floods. Once the water reaches the level of your home’s floor, there will be significant damage even with an inch of the flood.
The FEMA website has flood maps that will show how high floodwaters can rise where you live in the United States. You can also consult your home insurance agent and local building department to know the flood level at your location.
Building a home at a high elevation doesn’t make it flood-proof. Even if it is located on a hill, there is a chance that it gets flooded in the future. That’s why it is important for homeowners to protect their property from floods.
Anchor and Raise Equipment
Air conditioning units, generators, and fuel tanks must be anchored and placed higher than the known flood level. Fuel tanks that are unanchored can break free, and severed supply lines can contaminate the surrounding area.
Generators and other electrical power units should not be placed on the ground. They will become useless when they are inundated with flood water. Not only will you be soaked in flood water, you will be powerless as well.
Find Out How Water Flows Around Your Property
The angle of the ground that directs water away from your house is known as slope or grading. The best scenario is when water drains away from the building. The best way to determine is by watching how rainwater flows.
You can also find out the spots that accumulate water during an average rainstorm. If the street is prone to standing water during an ordinary rainstorm, you should consider getting a residential floor barrier.
Change Height of Electrical and Climate Systems
Make sure that your wiring, sockets, switches and circuit breakers are at least a foot above the estimated flood level. You should also consider modifying the water heater, furnace, and other indoor equipment so that they are above the flood level.
Change Water Valves
Sewage can back up into your home when the sewer system gets flooded. If you don’t want to find yourself knee-deep in some sewage waste, install an exterior or exterior backflow valve. Experts recommend the use of gate valves that are operated manually by hand. They are much stronger compared to check or flap valves that open automatically to allow water to flow out and close when water tries to enter. Gate valves must be installed on all pipes that enter the house.
Renovate the Home
If floods have become a regular occurrence and moving is not an option, you should consider retrofitting the home to make it flood-proof. One of the recommendations is to raise the home on columns or piers that will make the lowest floor above the estimated flood level.
Another way to keep flood waters out is to install foundation vents that let water flow through the building. You will need at least two vents on different walls. If you have a 1,000 square foot house, it will require at least seven square feet of flood vents.
To keep floods out of the home, you can also apply some water-proofing to the walls. That way water will not seep into the walls when water gets higher.
Residential Flood Barriers
Lastly, buy residential flood barriers. They don’t need to install them permanently, which can decrease the aesthetic value of your home. Not only that, permanent residential flood barriers are more expensive.
Temporary residential flood barriers are a cost-effective way of protecting your home. You can easily set them up before the flood and remove them after the flooding is over. Once the barrier is removed, it leaves little to no footprint on the surrounding.
It is important that you buy residential flood barriers that allow you to use water instead of sand. Water-filled residential flood barriers will not have a huge environmental imprint. The barriers are reusable and can lower your carbon footprint.
Among the flood control solutions, a residential flood barrier is the most cost-effective solution. You can find affordable flood barriers on the market that can help protect your home from flood waters.
When it comes to residential flood barriers, make sure you choose one that is lightweight and easy to set up. It should be portable enough that will allow you to place it without any help from others. You should also find one that uses on-site water. All these characteristics are found in Dam-It-Dams residential flood barriers.
Tips When Water Begins to Raise
When water starts to rise, you should shut down your main circuit breaker. Even if you have residential flood barriers, you should also consider elevating major appliances to keep them from harm’s way. Move your rugs, furniture, and electronics to upper levels. If that’s not possible, then make sure they are lifted off the ground floor.
These are the things to consider when you have flooding problems. It is best to consider residential flood barriers and other solutions to ensure that your home is safe from water damage.