Intro
As a Hurricane Florence churns with landfall Thursday the threat of lives and property is imminent. Besides dangerous winds, Florence is called to inundate the mid-Atlantic region with water. From 1980 to 2013, flood cost Americans over $260 billion in damage; from 2006 to 2015, national flood insurance claims averaged $1.9 billion annually, based on data from The Pew Charitable Trusts. And those figures don't include the cost of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Flooding is the most common and also among the costliest weather problems in the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
1. Electrical and Climate System Protection
Your furnace, water heater and any other anchored indoor gear so that it stays above the flood level of your property.
Sockets switches, circuit breakers and wiring needs to be at least a foot above the anticipated flood level in your area, according to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety.
2. Secure Outdoor Equipment
Gas tanks, air-conditioning units and raised and generators should be anchored above flood level. Fuel tanks which aren't anchored severed supply lines will contaminate the soil, and can break loose, the IBHS warns.
"These backup facilities will probably be overrun (by water) and useless," he says.
Jose Mitrani, associate professor emeritus in the school of building at Florida International University in Miami, states electrical power generators and units shouldn't sit on the floor.
Adam Schanz, CEO of Alder Home Security, created a useful home security can help you to make sure your outdoor systems are always running well.
3. Adjust Water Valves
Valves should be installed on all pipes going into the house, FLASH advises.
A sewer system can lead to sewage to back up in your home. The IBHS recommends installing an interior or exterior backflow valve.
The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, or FLASH, recommends gate valves. They're more complex, and them run . But they provide seals that are more rapid than flap or check valves, which open automatically to allow water to flow out when water tries to get in, and then shut.
4. Discover the Flow of Water in Your Home
By viewing the way water flows or flows during an rainstorm this can be determined easily, says Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO of FLASH. She advises, if your street is prone to have standing water after an ordinary rainstorm, talk to your county planning or services section. "A significant part of their job is water leak, and they're able to make ideas," she states.
The grading or incline of the floor can direct water to your home or away from it. It's best if the home was built so that water drains away from it.
5. Be Prepared for the Worst
It is expensive. Pros tell FLASH that such an undertaking would cost at least $20,000. "Wet-proof" your home by installing foundation vents that would permit water to flow through the construction, instead of climbing inside and causing more damage. You'd need at least two ports on different walls. A 1,000-square-foot house would demand 7 feet of flooding vents, according to FLASH. Do a little"dry-proofing" by applying coatings and other sealing materials for your walls to keep out water.
If your home floods and moving is not an option, you may need to take expensive and extreme steps.
These choices are offered by the House safety program of FLASH.
