How to Prepare Your Family and Home for a Potential Flood
Do you have a potential flood preparation plan already set? Did you know that floods in the United States most often occur in late April through September? Are your family and home prepared in case a flood occurs?
In the event of a flood, there are steps that you can take to protect your home and minimize losses. Here are some things to consider to help you proactively prepare for flood damage.
Preparing Your Home and Family
Being proactive in preparing your home for a flood can prove beneficial. Thankfully, you can limit the damage to your home with preparations like these.
- Elevate Electric Outlets and Wiring: Flood damage to your outlets or electrical wiring can be a long-term safety hazard. If you know your predicted flood levels, elevate your electrical outlets and wiring about 12 inches above those levels to limit potential damage.
- Move Your Valuables and Furniture: If authorities announce a flood watch or flood warning, you will have limited time to move your valuables and furniture to a safe place. Store important documents such as Social Security cards, birth certificates, and insurance policies in a waterproof safe.
- Obtain Flood Insurance: If you live in an area with frequent flooding, purchasing flood insurance is a great solution. Flood Insurance will cover any flood damage costs, which your Home Owner’s Insurance usually will not.
- Waterproof Your Basement: Waterproofing your basement is an excellent idea if you live in a location that floods frequently. A few tips for waterproofing your basement would be to have a gas-powered generator as a backup in case the power goes out, keep a sump pump in your basement, and make sure there are no expensive items in your basement.
- Create an Evacuation Plan: Review an evacuation plan with your family. Have a designated meeting place inside and outside the home in case you are separated at the time of the flood. Be proactive and practice the evacuation plan with your family.
Using these tips to prepare for a flood will give you and your family some peace of mind in the event of a flood.
To-Go Bag Tips
A to-go bag is a great way to preserve some valuables in case of a flood. In short, this is a pre-packed bag of valuables and basic needs that you can quickly grab and go if you need to evacuate.
In your to-go bag, pack three days’ worth of water and food for each person in your home. You should also pack batteries, a cellphone charger, copies of personal documents, and any necessary medications or first aid items.
What to do if Your Home Floods
First and foremost, if your home floods, your family is the top priority! Make sure they are safe and away from any potential risks.
We care about your home, but your family comes first. This is one of the reasons we at Coventry Services partner with Toys for Tots! Helping families through a flood is what matters the most.
Once your family is taken care of, call Coventry Services as soon as possible.
While you are waiting for our 24/7 rapid response team to arrive, here are some steps you can take on your own to mitigate your loss:
- Turn off the water main
- Stop the source of the water if possible
- Turn off the electricity and natural gas
- Move any dry contents out of the way that may be at risk of damage
- Call your insurance agent to report the loss. We can help assess the damage before you call the insurance company.
Before entering your home, follow proper safety techniques by wearing protective clothing and gear such as an N95 mask, goggles, gloves, boots, long pants, and long sleeves. Be careful not to risk injury from slippery floors, electrocution, or exposure to hazardous contaminants when reentering the home.
How Coventry Can Help!
If your home was flooded and you have experienced carpet water damage or other damage to your home, we are here to help!
Our certified technicians provide rapid response for emergency water cleanup in the northern Maryland and Virginia region 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We specialize in water mitigation, from extracting water to rebuilding and renovating. Our technicians will work quickly to perform emergency water mitigation repair and begin restoring your home.
Upon contact, we will mobilize an emergency pack-out team within 48 hours to carefully pack and inventory all necessary contents and inspect your property! We will note any contents that have been irreversibly damaged and provide direct billing to your insurance company to ensure that the insurance claims are accurately and efficiently processed.
Our highly-trained and certified technicians will act fast to expedite this cleanup process. After the water has been removed, we will fully dry and dehumidify all affected areas of your home to prevent mold growth and any further damage.
Our water damage restoration team and our partners can also assist with any rebuilding, remodeling, or renovation needed due to the damage.
Contact us as soon as possible so we can mobilize our team to help!