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Protect your Home
from Flood Damage

Flood Damage Preparation Tips

Heavy rain can quickly cause flood damage if your home is not prepared. Once the water level goes one inch above your floor, the damage becomes severe and expensive to fix. Fortunately, there are steps from www.ready.gov you can take to prepare and perhaps avoid these consequences . 

Prepare a Flood Plan
Set up a flood plan with your family and friends ahead of time. Choose a local high ground where you can all meet. Know where a shelter is near you. If you have pets, research what shelters allow them. You should also bring a list of vaccines your pet has received. Bring a leash, pet bowl and pet food along with your own food and water. You should also remember to bring any medications and phone chargers.
During heavy rainfall, use less water.
If the water outside your house already overwhelms the system, it is going to put extra pressure on it if you use water like normal.

Anchor and raise outdoor equipment like fuel tanks, AC units and generators.
Unanchored fuel tanks can break free and severed supply lines will contaminate the surrounding ground. Loose items in your yard can also become harmful debris that can damage other properties or people. Be aware that smaller items in your yard could potentially clog storm drains and prevent water from draining.
Seal cracks around windows and floors. Flood damage can damage the foundation. The cost to repair is expensive and some items like important documents or mementos can be difficult or impossible to replace. 

Safeguard in-home appliances. 
The washer, dryer and furnace should be elevated on the first floor.

Consider installing shelves to elevate items to prevent water damage.
Adding shelves may save you some floor space as well as keep your belongings away from water. If water invades your territory, the only thing you may need to worry about replacing is your shelves instead of more important items.

Keep important documents in a waterproof container.
If you have important documents like birth certificates or college diplomas, it can be impossible, difficult or costly to replace them. Some colleges do not replace lost or damaged diplomas. Keep them safe from the elements in a sealed waterproof container.

Sometimes a once-in-a-lifetime flood just happens to catch you off guard. There are still things you can do to for last minute flood damage protection.

Shut off electricity in the breaker box.
If you walk through floodwaters, you could electrocute yourself. Even if the flooding is out in the street, you should not walk through floodwaters. It only takes 6 inches of moving floodwater to knock you down. If that does not convince you how powerful currents are, you should see a car carried away by just a foot of moving water. Floodwater is powerful. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, raging floodwaters tore a man from rescuer’s arms when he exited his stranded vehicle. 

Move indoor furniture.
Move rugs, electronics and other items to upper floors if possible. If an elevated floor is not available, use tables, shelves, and counters to elevate your belongings.

The ultimate way to help fend off the onslaught of floodwaters is to keep your sump pump running as long as possible with a home standby generator. All it takes to compromise your home is a blackout. With a generator, you can keep your sump pump operating even if a storm related power outage strikes – whether you are at home or not.

Ally Against the Flood

Armed with a home standby generator, you have a powerful defense against flood damage. Come out on top with a working sump pump throughout the storm.