Floods nearly always cause major water damage to your home. The damage is not caused from the water alone. Mud and debris from the flooding water can do just as much damage as the water. Before buying a home you should know the flood risks and what precautions you need to take to avoid flood damage. Before buying a home determine if it is in a known flood plain and the floor cycle. This is easy to determine from public records.

Avoid buying a home in known flood plain if possible. Unfortunately real-estate agencies tend to play down the fact that a home is located in a known flood plain area.

If you find that your home is in a flood plain there are several things you can do to reduce the damage in the event of a flood. The following suggestions will go a long way to protect your home from flood damage.

Waterproof the exterior walls:

Just a few inches of water inside your home can cause major damage to floors, walls and appliances. Adding a waterproof veneer to the exterior walls can keep water from seeping into your home. The cost is reasonable at approximately $12 per square foot.

Anchor fuel tanks:

An unanchored fuel tank can float in flood waters which can cause fuel to spill and even catch fire. Cleaning up a flooded home that has fuel in the water can be dangerous whic can be avoided simply by anchoring the fuel tank. Fuel tanks should be anchored to the floor using straps or cables attached to ground anchors. Installing ground anchors can cost as little as $50.

Elevate all electrical wiring:

The main electrical panel or fuse boxes can be damaged or pose a serious fire hazard if flooded. If they are protected and are working after a flood the flood cleanup will go more quickly. The main electrical panel or fuse box should be raised at above the projected flood level.

Raise HVAC equipment:

Your home's furnace, boiler, water heater and other HVAC equipment can be seriously damaged or destroyed by flooding water. The damage can be avoided by elevating the equipment above the flood level. If it is not practical to move the HVAC equipment to a higher floor, a concrete floodwall can be built around the equipment. The floodwall can be constructed of cinder block and waterproofed to prevent water penetration.

Taking a few steps to preventing or reducing the flood damage to your home will go a long way in reducing the cost of repairs. These steps may also reduce the cost of your flood insurance.

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