12 Hints to Help You Protect Your House against Floods. Firefighters and Construction Industry Experts Point Out a Few Essential Things to Consider
The weather is getting more and more unpredictable and extreme. When it rains, it pours. Plenty of places all over the world have experienced floods this year. Perhaps the dame wouldn't have been so serious if we had known how to keep our property save.
The list below contains some of the most fundamental rules you have to follow.
#1 Carefully analyze the location of your future house
Before you actually get down to erecting the walls, you need to do some research about the area and include the information in your design process. If the area is flooded, the ground floor and the front doorstep have to be elevated. The construction materials have to be carefully selected – make sure they want get easily damaged whenever exposed to eater.
#2 A good flood bank
Once your house is already there, not all materials can survive the water exposure intact. It might come as a surprise for many, but experts strongly advice building – as long as it's possible – an earth flood bank around our land. The bank does not have to completely surround the plot. Sometimes it needs to protect only the part exposed to possible water inflow. Flood banks can be even up to a yard tall and they have proven effective many times.
#3 Ditches and flood canals
Ditches and canals near your house is something we often ignore expecting the municipality (or any other authority in charge) to take good care of them. If they fail to do that and you don't make up for that, don’t be surprised to see water flooding your premises when it can't find its outlet through the clogged system.
#4 Boiler room
Though for practical reasons it might not sound very comfortable, experts advise to have the boiler room somewhere higher than basement. Once the wood or the fuel you use gets flooded (not to mention the equipment) the costs of fixing that could be extortionate.
#5 Sewer system
I bet the last thing you would like to see on your backyard is the excrements scattered all over. To prevent that, get a storm valve installed.
#6 Garage
Just like the boiler room, garage is badly exposed to the floodwater impact. That is why sealing the floor and elevating the doorstep are options you have to consider. I am sure we all know how much a flooded car will cost us.
#7 Windows
There are several ways they can be sealed and protected against floodwater.
#8 Pumps
Although they cost several hundred dollars, they can prevent much more serious damage. A pump will come in handy even in case of a minor flooding
#9 Sandbags
Though they will make you feel like a World War I soldier, they are will make a solid waterproof barrier protecting your property. No need to build banks or elevate doorsteps if this temporary protection is well-made.
#10 Mobile anti-flood systems
For those who have never heard of that, we are talking about mobile anti-flood systems that you can get in some DIY stores. You fix them on the door, they do not look that bad and, most importantly, very effectively protect the inside of your house against flooding.
#11 Pool-like dams
They are slowly catching on all over the world. They are filled with water and you put them up around your house just before the danger comes along
#12 Know your priorities
The family of the man is bound to remember the fact that faced with the danger the man decided to take care of the lawn rather than rescue his family from the looming disaster.