Do you want to floodproof your home? In some cases, flooding isn’t covered under home insurance. This means you’ll need to take the hit financially regarding repairs or obtaining home flood insurance.
The best thing you can do is to take preventative measures. Floodproofing your property is a great way to lessen the damage or buy you some time until flooding starts to recede.
If you’re looking for floodproofing tips, you’re in luck. In this article, we go over four of the best tips to know how to flood proof your home.
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How to Flood Proof Your Home
Floodproofing is an effective way to prevent an expensive situation from arising. Floodproofing can be done using four basic strategies. Dry floodproofing, wet floodproofing, barriers, and elevations. Suppose you are in a high-risk flood-prone area; it’s best to follow these tips.
Let’s go over these four different methods.
Dry Floodproofing
Dry floodproofing is when you completely seal the exterior of your home to keep flooding waters out. This method works best when the walls are reinforced to the point where they can withstand hydraulic pressure.
You can install another layer of siding and use waterproof sealant. This will be good for up to 3 feet of water.
Other methods use heavy plastic sheeting along exterior walls—cement and asphalting along with the clear coating.
Wet Floodproofing
Wet floodproofing is the process of modifying your home so Where water can freely pass in and out. This helps counteract hydraulic pressure and lessens the event of structural damage.
There should be no furniture in the area and should not be used as a living space. Use non-absorbent materials when wet floodproofing your home. The best materials to use are ceramic concrete, ceramic tiles, brick, and fiberglass-faced drywall.
Doing this increases your home’s resale value and saves money on flood insurance premiums. Check this out if you’re confused about private flood insurance vs NFIP
Using Barriers
The least expensive method for floodproofing is to use flood barriers for homes. This includes sandbagging, using water-filled sandbags, water-filled dams, or flood barrier pannels.
Elevate
Elevating your home is the most expensive method of floodproofing your house. This eliminates hydraulic pressure from water caving into your house, mold damage, and you won’t have to do any clean-up after the floodwaters recede.
This would need to be done as your home is being built. Although it can be done to an existing home, it can be costly if done afterward.
Which is the Best Method?
This question depends on your preference and budget. If you want to stay on the cheaper side, using flood barriers such as sandbags or flood barrier panels is a solid choice, especially if you are in an area that’s not prone to flooding that much.
If you are in a high-risk flooding area, wet/dry floodproofing or elevating your home is by far the best option. We hope you’ve gained some insight on how to flood proof your home.
If you liked this article, be sure to check out the other articles on our site.
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