Once you Google "flood control" or "how to protect a house from floods," you instantly get overwhelmed with information.
There will be tons of articles about how the floods are happening more and more often and why, what can governments and environmental agencies do to decrease the risks, and, of course, loads of lifehacks and commercials for home and business owners.
It is pretty easy to get lost among all these data, the pros and cons of different flood control methods and endless products and services meant to keep your house or business safe during the next flood season.
That is why in this article, we decided not to compare different anti-flooding solutions once again by taking a different approach and explaining how every property owner may make their research much more structured and easily make informed decisions without being affected by ads and marketing.
Let's talk about how to research flood control methods based on the peculiarities and measurements of your property, the landscape, and flood risk.
What is my flood risk?
The first thing you should ask yourself is how high is the flood risk in the area right now. You can easily find maps of the flood-prone zones in your area on the FEMA website or simply walk around the neighborhood if you have just moved in and ask fellow property owners about the flood situation in the area and its effect on their lives.
You should have probably done it before you invested in the property, but better late than never!
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all kinds of buildings and properties are equally prone to be flooded or damaged by water, even if they are located next to each other.
Living in an apartment building on the top floor, you probably won't have to bother about your carpet or floor being flooded, but pay more attention to the emergency food stock and first aid kit if you will be stuck at home for several days.
The same is true about the location of your house. Living next to the lake and on the hill, you will have to experience different kinds of damage and dangers caused by floods.
But the bottom line is the same - flood can affect a coastal and rural area the same as a big city or even a place that has never seen any kind of flooding in the past 100 years. You do have to prepare for the disaster. The question is, how exactly!
The landscape.
The land around your house is the first line of security and flood control. Whether we are talking about farmland or suburbia, the landscape will in many ways determine whether floodwater will stay away from the house or stream right towards it.
It is essential to make sure that your house is elevated at least several feet over the mainland to avoid the situation when it finds itself in the middle of a swamp. You should address a landscaping professional and invest in construction remodeling, installing piles and piers to keep floodwater away or let it flow freely under your house without damaging it.
Living in suburbia, you probably won't have to deal with such massive reconstruction, but it is a good idea to replace the asphalt pavement of your driveway with gravel. It will allow floodwater to soak into the ground before it gets to the building itself and therefore minimize the damage.
If you live in the city, you probably won't have to deal with either of the landscape remodeling situations. However, due to all the pavement and sulid road surfaces, floodwater simply has no way to go except directly towards your door. The drainage probably won't be able to deal with the whole water masses and will get overflow pretty fast.
In this case, it is essential to protect the garage gate, entrance door, and any other passage that can welcome floodwater into your property.
Good old sandbags are always the most straightforward and efficient solution (except for being extremely heavy, messy, and leaky sometimes). There are modern flood control alternatives such as flood barriers for homes or flood gates, which are easy to install and remove and can be securely stored in any wardrobe until the next flood season.
The building
Now take a look at the building itself. Unfortunately, in many cases, your flood control appears much more durable than the building it is supposed to protect. Your doors may be sealed securely with a modern flood barrier, but it won't be too much of a use if there are cracks in the walls and foundation, the gutters are blocked with dirt and debris, or the walls are affected by termites, mold, etc.
So, the second step in your flood control research should be the elevation of the building's condition and its ability to withstand flooding. In many cases, you won't even need to invest in flood gates or break your back building a sandbag dike if your gutters and drainage are clear and can easily drive away minor flooding away from your house.
In other cases, your flood control is only as strong as the building it protects. So grab a spatula and go over the walls and foundation of your house. Invite a professional who will check the condition of walls, the pipes, doors, and windows to make sure that water has no other way than the dook passage or garage gate to get into your house.
The flood control devices
Now it is time to choose between endless products and devices meant to protect your house from floodwater. The easiest thing to research them is, of course, Google, reviews that you find online and maybe posts in some blogs focused on home maintenance and flood control.
Another way to make a decision is once again to walk around the neighborhood and ask people what they have been using to protect their houses before, whether they are satisfied with their flood control, and what they recommend. Remember, however, that what worked perfectly for your neighbor's house may not fit yours and vice versa.
Knowing how hard it may be to research different anti-flooding products and make a decision, Dam Easy placed a QR code on the retail stands with flood control products and devices. You simply scan the code and get a full installation instruction, review videos, and description of every item to decide whether our flood barriers are exactly what you need to sell your house this flood season.
Still, have any questions? Contact Dam Easy today and learn more about our flood gates and other modern flood control solutions for a house or business, front door, or garage gate.
Flood Barrier Door Dam - Ultimate Flood Gate
$899.99
DAM EASY® FLOOD GATE - DOOR DAM Floods are becoming more common around the world. What was once a 100-year phenomenon is now a seasonal trend that homeowners must deal with. That’s EXACTLY why you need this Dam Easy Flood… Read More
