Have you ever experienced a catastrophic event that almost ruined you financially? Windstorms or hail damage are commonly covered perils under a typical homeowners insurance policy. A peril is something that has the potential to cause damage to your property i.e. fire and smoke, lightning, explosion, vandalism, damage from an aircraft, car or vehicle, theft, falling objects, weight of ice, snow and sleet, and water damage. You may think that, because water damage is listed here, that a flood would fall under that category. Actually, floods are not covered by homeowners policies. Floods are covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA.
Protecting your home against flooding is something that all home owners should consider. Before purchasing a flood insurance policy, however, you should take some time to consider just how likely the area in which you live will have to endure a flooding situation. To get a better idea and overall understanding of flood possibilities, take a look at this flood map provided by FEMA. Enter your address in the search bar to analyze your specific area’s flood zones or simply click “Search All Products” and choose your state, county, and community to view reports of your area’s flood history.
The process by which you prepare your home to combat flooding will depend greatly on where you live. If you do live in an area that is prone to flooding, consider these steps:
Raise your home on stilts or piers: The idea here to create enough space between flood water and the base of your home, so that water is not able to enter your home.
Install foundation vents or a sump pump: Foundation vents allow water to flow through your home as opposed to pooling around it. This method of flood prevention significantly decreases the pressure that flood water can place on your walls and basement windows. Using sump pumps are, oftentimes, an effective way of pumping water out of basements where flooding tends to occur frequently. To ensure that this method is fool-proof, consider installing a sump pump that has a battery backup just in case you lose power.
Apply coatings and sealants: Coating and sealants—when applied to cracks in walls, windows, or doorways—can help prevent flood water from seeping into your house.
Install check valves on your pipes: All pipes that lead into your home should be fixed with valve for the purpose of preventing sewage from entering your home. Ask one of our agents about Sewer Line Backup Coverage provided by Erie Insurance.
Raise your electrical outlets and switches: For the same reason as raising your home on stilts or piers, raising your electrical outlets and switches can help prevent a disaster in which you would experience significant electrical damage. Water and electricity are not a safe combination.
Grade your lawn away from your house: Using heavy soil that contains either and sand allows surface runoff to be lead to an appropriate, safe place. This way, you don’t have to worry about excess water building up around your home.
Leave space between mulch and siding: Wet mulch can lead to dangerous situations because it can rot your home’s siding, resulting in leaks. You want your home to have the ability to fully dry after rainstorms.
Point your downspouts away from your house: If runoff is not pointed away from your home, it could potentially pool around your home, eventually leading to leaks in your basement.
If you are experiencing an emergency flood situation, following these important steps could spell the difference between saving your home and a complete and utter disaster.
- Turn off your water line if you are certain that is where the water is coming from.
- Make sure your gutters and drains are cleared of any debris i.e. leaves, grass, etc.
- Remove all rugs, furniture, electronics, and other valuables from the flooded area. If you can, keep those valuables elevated to keep them dry.
- Turn off your electricity at the breaker panel! Electricity and water can prove to be a deadly combination. To avoid that danger, keep your electricity off.
- Open your windows to increase airflow in your home.
- An active sump pump can prove to be extremely helpful in removing excess water from your home.
- Take photos of any damages caused by the flood and submit them to your insurance company as evidence of what happened. This evidence can prove extremely important and helpful in any financial dispute.