Floods are one of the most common and costly natural disasters in the United States. According to the National Flood Insurance Program, floods cost Americans more than $5 billion in damages each year. Now that’s a lot of money and certainly not a number you want to contribute to.

That said, if you live in an area that’s well known to experience floods, it pays to carry out various upgrades and implementations to better protect your home from floods and minimize the damage it may experience:

1. Get Flood Insurance

If you live in a high-risk flood zone, flood insurance is a must. Even if you’re not in a high-risk zone, it’s a good idea to get coverage. Unfortunately, homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so you’ll need a separate policy.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and business owners in participating communities. However, there are still other providers that offer flood insurance, so check around for better deals and coverage!

2. Elevate Your Home

If you live in a high-risk flood zone, elevating your home is one of the best ways to minimize damage in the event of a flood. Elevating your home means raising it above the base flood elevation (BFE), which is the height floodwaters are expected to reach during a flood.

There are a couple of ways to elevate your home, and it can be done by raising the first floor, building a flood-proof wall around the first floor, or both.

3. Seal Your Basement

A dry basement is a good defense against flood damage. If your basement is prone to flooding, there are a number of things you can do to seal it off from floodwaters. One option is to install check valves, which allow water to flow out of your basement but not back in. You can also seal your basement walls and floor with waterproofing sealant or install a sump pump to remove water that does get in.

Either way, sealing your basement is important, as staying dry protects your home’s structural integrity and so much more.

4. Protect Your Windows

If your home has windows, they’re one of the most vulnerable spots when it comes to flood damage. After all, they’re made of glass, and glass is quite prone to shattering, especially when pressure or impacts are applied to it.

To protect your windows, you can install window wells and/or flood shutters. Window wells are typically made of PVC and are installed around the perimeter of your basement windows. They catch the water that comes in through the windows and allow it to drain away from your home. Flood shutters, on the other hand, are installed over the windows themselves and can be used to seal off the opening in the event of a flood.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a variety of ways to protect your home from flood damage. Sure, some options may be more expensive than others, but really, they all are sound investments to make, especially if you want to save a lot of money in the long run. Not only do you have to deal with less damage caused by floods, but they can also make things like insurance policies much cheaper as your home is now at much less risk of flood-related issues! So, make your pick and implement as many of the above tips as possible.

AAA Restoration Utah are restoration experts capable of restoring various properties from different types of damage. If you are looking for flood repair in Utah, reach out to us today!