While fire might be a more typical concern among property owners, your home might in fact be just as much as ten times prone to be damaged by water than by fire. Important resources of water damage to one’s property can come from weather-related moisture or flooding including flooding from heavy rains and flash floods, dam and levee problems, tidal storm surges and mudflows. In addition, new construction of structures, roads or even bridges can alter the flow of water, increasing the prospect of flooding. Surviving  in a flood that is high-risk can increase the likelihood  of experiencing a flood or water damage, but being outside a high-risk zone does not suggest house owners are safe; flooding is constantly a possibility due to causes such as for instance heavy rains, snowmelt and spring thaws.

Protecting Your Home Before, during and After A flooding

There are always a wide range of actions you can take to greatly help minimize or stop water injury to your home. Follow these tips to help prepare and recover from possibly flood damage that is costly. Before the Flood:

• Know your properties flood zone risk and evaluate this reference guide to your flood risk from IBHS.
• Have your heating system, water heater along with other permanent gear elevated above the expected flood levels of your area.
• Inspect sump pumps and drains regularly to make sure operation that is proper.
• If you own a generator, have a licensed electrician provide a transfer change to your sump pump so you are able to operate it within the event of flooding.
• To help stop sewage backup, have a certified plumber install an interior or even exterior backflow avoidance valve.
• Keep sandbags on hand to help divert unusually high water away from your foundation.
• In snowy climates, flag drains to avoid plowing snow on top of them.
• Learn the flood alert signals of your community.
• Collect emergency building materials if you reside in a frequently flooded area. These may consist of plywood, plastic sheeting, lumber, nails, shovels and sandbags.
• Plan and exercise an evacuation route. Designate place for relatives to meet within the event they become divided.
• Review with all household members how to turn off resources in a emergency.
• Plan a success kit with important documents, such as insurance papers, medications and critical items in case you need to leave your home.

During the Flood:

• Listen to a battery operated radio or television for the latest storm information. If advised to evacuate, shut off all utilities and evacuate immediately.
• Move to ground that is high avoid rising waters nor walk or drive through any floodwaters.
• Stay away from downed power lines and wires that are electrical.

After the Flood:

• Listen to the radio and never return home until authorities suggest it is safe to take action.
• Once allowed back into your home, inspect it for damage. In the event your home has been damaged, quickly report the loss.
• Be watchful of snakes that might have discovered their way into your house.
• Throw away all food which has are in contact with flood-waters.
• Eliminate standing water as quickly as you are able to, such as from your basement. In the event your basement is flooded, pump out about 1/3 of this water each day in order to avoid damage that is structural.
• Correctly dry or even eliminate soaked carpets, padding and furniture within 24 to 48 hours after a flooding to prevent mold growth. Discard anything that cannot be properly dried.

Wash and disinfect all areas that have been flooded in San Diego. This consists of walls, floors, closets and shelves, in addition to heating and air-conditioning systems. Do not energize electric or even equipment that is electronic may have suffered water damage without first having a qualified electrician inspect and/or even test it.