No mistake about it, it’s flooding season. As the rain hammers New England once again, forecasters have issued flood warnings for much of Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire.
Is your home at risk for flooding? How can you tell? Can you get insurance? What are some flooding precautions you can take? How do you clean up after a flood?
These are all important questions for any homeowner to be asking. We’ve compiled some key Flood-related resources together in one spot for you to consider. Take a moment to look over the information to better prepare yourself against a flooding scenario.
1) Determine Your Flood Risk. Many homeowners don’t even know the likelihood of a flooding scenario in their area. Most probably take the “it could never happen to me” approach. Yet 90% of all presidentially-declared natural disasters are for floods.
2) Understand and Purchase Flood Insurance. Although 90% of “disaster-related property damage” in the US is caused by flooding, most homeowner insurance policies don’t cover flooding. Find out how you might qualify for a national flood insurance policy plan.
3) Protect Your Property From Flood Damage. If you know your home is at risk for flooding, there are a few important steps you can take to minimize damage in the event of a flood. Here’s a helpful checklist you can use to make sure you are taking all the possible flood-protection steps.
4) Purchase and Install a Sump Pump. A properly-sized sump pump will go a long way towards keeping your basement dry in the event of heavy rains and flooding. Although it is essentially a last line of defense, it’s still an important piece of the puzzle.
5) Know How to Clean Up After a Flood. If the worst-case scenario occurs, there’s a good chance that some serious clean-up will need to be undertaken. Here’s another resource on Flood Cleanup and your home’s Indoor Air Quality that you should take a moment to read.
We hope all those homeowners facing flooding situations this spring come out dry and undamaged.
