Single Family Home Remodeling Single Family Home Remodeling

Information on Floods

Custom Search

Flood Did you know that floods are one of the most common natural disasters in the world? They can happen anytime, anywhere and anyplace. Most people think near the coast or perhaps by a river are the most common. Not so. Any place with excessive rain, melting snow and poor drainage can cause a inundation.

Several years ago, there was a barrage of water 30 miles or so from us. A placid creek, that normally had very little water in it, overflowed and caused major problems with washing out streets and general flooding for several days.

After some heavy rains, it peaked at over 20 feet. Some farm land was overrun and the roads washed out, but not much else was damaged. The media showed some houses with some damage. It seems they always find the worst and make it look typical or representative of all the damage.

Near Atlanta last year, we had some friends that lived in a new development. The access road was washed out making getting to and from the homes difficult, but the homes were safe. The property owners parked across the street and took a boat home. So, you never know exactly where and when a problem may occur.

One of the first things I do before buying a house is to look at the FEMA maps. For your convenience here is the link http://gis1.msc.fema.gov/Website/newstore/Viewer.htm. I have two reasons for looking at them:

  • First, I do not want to have the damage and the associated problems.
  • Second, there is the monthly cost for flood insurance. I hate to waste money when there are so many other houses in areas not prone to the overrun of water to choose from. Not to mention the heartache of losing irreplaceable family memorabilia.
I met with my insurance agent the other day and asked him specifically about this type of insurance. His answers were enlightening as all companies do not operate the same.

Flood Say you have wind storm coverage and do not have flood coverage. Your roof blows off and it rains in your house. As long as the water does not reach 6 inches in depth, you are covered. IF the water does not run out, your insurance company may or may not cover.

The easiest way to reduce barrage problems is to not purchase a home in a known flood area. Some areas water overflows every year and some have not experienced an overflow in a 100 years. If you must have THAT house, then do what you can do to reduce flooding in the residence.

Here is an example. There was a home several miles from us that the creek rose every year and overflowed. The homeowner had the house raised about 15 feet so that the water could not get into the living area. The basement still gets water, but no damage to anything else.

Personally, I would have moved to higher ground. There are several things you can do to help direct running water away from the structure. Talk to a civil engineer and get some recommendations.



Are You Going to Stay at Home During a Disaster?

Building Materials for Shelter

Clean Water During an Emergency

Disaster Preparation for Your Home and Securing Your Property

Emergency Home Plans For Your Family

Forest Fires Leave You Little or No Time to Prepare

Going to an Emergency Shelter

How Do You Avoid Civil Unrest During a Disaster?

Hurricanes - Do You Know What to Do Should One Head Your Way?

Insurance Information and Other Important Family Documents

Meals Ready to East - Military Style Survival Food

The Bug Out Bag or Emergency Bag You Buy Online

The Emergency Bag Which You Make at Home

Whether You Have a Snow Storm or Ice Storm - Be Prepared

Information on Floods to Home Page

Usually included in home remodeling is painting. Click below to read our
review of these great paint color cheat sheets.
They take the guestwork
out of choosing paint colors.

We just love them!

[?] Subscribe To
This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Add to Newsgator
Subscribe with Bloglines

My Sweetie's Favorite Dessert Recipes

If you have a sweet tooth, visit our new website - My Sweetie's Favorite Dessert Recipes!

Try our Key Lime Cheesecake. It is marvelous!!

Resources
Bathroom | Ceiling and Floor | Basement, Attic and Garage | Kitchen | Walls | Doors and Windows | Home Additions | Garden and Landscaping | Deck and Patio | Pool and Spa | Roofing | Decorating | Furnishings | Painting | Electrical | Security | Contractors/Home Builders | Plumbing | HVAC | Green | Real Estate | Other | Link Exchange |Disclaimer

Protected by Copyscape Plagiarism Check

Disclaimer: Information provided by us may be incomplete.
All projects should comply with your local building code regulations, permits and inspections.
Copyright© 2008-2012 www.single-family-home-remodeling.com.