Rising Tides Across the Globe – Protecting Your Beachside House from Flooding
It’s a dream to have a beachside house but a nightmare to protect it from flooding. Since they’re close to water, they’ll likely need protection from water damage and flooding. When building houses along the shore, it is important to use materials and flood prevention elements that can withstand a lot of battering from the elements.
Beach houses are expensive, and that is why they need to be protected at all costs. This article will provide you with ways to protect your dream house and keep it safe from the waters.
However, in emergency cases of flooding and water damage, hiring professionals to restore for you and make your life easier is advisable. Restoration Companies like 911Restoration have professional staff members who have the expertise to help with water damage. Contact us at (305) 280-0755 now for our services!
Flood Proofing Your Home
To minimize the damage during rising tides, it is essential to floodproof your beachside house. Here are a few ways to protect your home against floodwaters.
1. Seal Up Any Cracks in Your Foundation
Water can seep into your home and walls through cracks in the foundation. To fix this problem temporarily in the tides season, you can get affordable masonry caulk to fill in the gaps and secure your foundation. However, if it is a persistent problem, it lies deeper and may need a more permanent fix. 911Restoration is a reputable restoration company that can help you restore your house.
2. Apply Coatings and Sealants
You can protect your home from water seeping in by apply sealant to your walls, windows, doorways, and foundation. These sealants can be purchased at most home retailers or hardware stores.
3. Buy A Battery-Powered Sump Pump
Sump pumps work by pumping water to the outside, and this is how they prevent flooding in your home. Most sump pumps work on electricity but to ensure they work at all times, even when there is a power outage, go for the pumps that run on battery power. In cases of emergency, they would be of great help.
4. Relocate Your Expensive Belongings
If your beachside house is your vacation home, it is best not to keep all your expensive and sentimental belongings there. Or, if you have a beach house with multiple stories, move all your costly belongings to the second or third floor. This will to some extent, reduce the damage even if dangerous flood water can flood your first floor.
5. Install A Flood Sensor
When you get your home security systems installed, ask for a flood sensor system as an add-on. These devices sense moisture in the house and detect small leaks. This sensor helps you fix leakage problems before they can cause significant damage, saving you potentially thousands of dollars.
6. Install Sewer Or Septic Line Check Valves
These valves ensure that sewage waste flows only one way. Installing septic line check valves protects against sewage flooding your home. You can have a professional install these for you in your beachside house.
7. Keep Your Electrical Outlets and Switches Raised
Fire damage and damage to human lives are possible if the chances of electrical damage are high. Ensure to keep all electrical equipment at least one foot above flood level to help reduce the risk of short-circuiting. Appliances such as water heaters, washing machines, air conditioners, etc., should all be raised above flood level, especially if they are in your basement. This step can be as simple as putting your appliances on concrete blocks to keep them off ground level.
Insuring Your Beach House
To build a beachside house, it is important to carry homeowner’s insurance. It is valuable for property protection and even replaces and repairs belongings damaged during disasters or mishaps. But, the thing about homeowner’s insurance is that it usually does not cover flood damage.
Homeowners likely want insurance in case of unavoidable flood damage to the home. In cases like this, they can find protection against water damage by enrolling in flood insurance. Water damage insurance covers damage from rain, swells, storm surge, and other damage. Explain to your insurance agent that this is a beach house and that they might need to make adjustments in their insurance policy to provide coverage in case of flooding.
Preventive Steps to Take When Flooding Starts
If a storm is forthcoming or flooding has already started, follow these steps to keep your family safe;
Emergency Kit
Beach houses are a high-risk flood area, is to put together an emergency kit that would come in handy in the event of a flood. The emergency kit should include;
- Keep extra clothes for you and your family
- Insurance policy numbers as well as contact information for your adjuster
- Toiletries
- Enough cash to get you through a few days
- Energy bars
- Water bottles
- First aid kit
Other Steps to Take
- Move valuables to a higher floor of the home
- Shut off your electricity at the breaker panel to avoid electrical damage
- Turn on your sump pump to remove water as quickly as possible.
- Videotape any flooding to document and defend your claim with your flood insurance provider.
- Evacuate the place to keep your family safe
Call 911Restoration
911Restoration has specialized equipment and years of experience to help in flood emergencies and water damage cases. If you’re looking for a Restoration Company in Miami, our services are available 24/7, and in case of emergencies, we cater to your needs within 45 minutes.