Buy The Right Insurance
A surefire way to protect your home from water damage is to have the right insurance coverage in the first place. Home owners in high risk zones are required to have flood insurance. The devastating floods of 2013 in Boulder Colorado prove that having this sort of protection is good for folks that aren’t living right next to a creek as well. Some of the most heavily damaged houses were up on mountains.
Low risk areas can be a source of flood damage claims. Getting a good handle for your risk is important to protecting your house.
Hazard Insurance does not cover a flood. For that, you need government Flood Insurance.
Keep in mind, sometimes one unit in a condo complex is in the actual flood plain. But that can cause the rest of the units to also require this extra insurance. While having flood protection is a good idea, based upon your budget you may wish to consider a complex with less risk and expenses.
Fast Action Saves The Day
During the floods, my clients Traci and Matt faced one potential disaster after another. Matt being an engineer and Traci being determined to protect her home from water damage strove to overcome each and every new intrusion. In the end, their quick thinking and timely response limited their damages to a handful of carpeting. Some of the measures they took included:
- Tying a tarp over the chimney to prevent water from entering through the fireplace.
- Placing a shop vac in the window well to remove water and then adding sandbags to divert water from pouring into the window well.
- Another idea you could emulate to protect your home from water damage in a flood is dig a trench in your yard to divert water. This is something Matt did and it successfully moved a large volume of water away from the house.
Time is your greatest enemy when it comes to water damage. Remember to turn off your water (there is a central turn off in most houses) if a pipe is leaking or a toilet is overflowing. Prioritize if you are facing damage. Following the floods, I helped a client by getting a company in quickly to remove the water, had another worker come over to quickly remove the water logged carpets and pad and yet another to set up drying gear. Quick action minimized the damage.
Day To Day Protective Measures
Your roof is specifically designed to protect your home from water damage. If you notice curling shingles or extruding nails, this is an indicator you need a new roof. Replace missing shingles when possible immediately. Cleaning your gutters and downspouts is another simple method to prevent water intrusion. This is a good project for Spring and early Fall. Be careful on ladders or consider having a handyman help out.
Remember to move water away from the house’s foundation. Gutter extensions and concrete blocks are a simple way to move water from the side of the house.
A Sump Pump is a strong line of defense to protect your home from water damage
My brother goes a step further. He has a generator on hand to power his sump pump. Too often he has lost power during a bad rainstorm. He knows he only has a matter of time before the sump pit will overflow. Having a portable jenny to power his sump pump has helped to protect his house.
My parents also found a good line of defense that is less stressful and on 24/7: a French Drain. In this, a contractor digs a trench in your yard and then fills it with a perforated pipe and stone. When your yard fills with water, it enters the drain and moves away from the house.
Additional Boulder Real Estate News Recommendations
Did you enjoy this story? Check out posts about the 100 year flood back in 2013. Or read about building codes to ensure your next home stays dry.