5 Risk Prevention Tips to flood proof your home
5 RISK PREVENTION TIPS TO FLOODPROOF YOUR HOME
Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the country. So, when floods do come, you want to be prepared well in advance. Let's explore some options to protect your home from flooding.
1. Clean Gutters and Drains Gutters and drains are designed to transport water away from your home.
If your gutters aren't clear of debris, however, it can cause overflowing and bring unwanted water seeping into your home. The same applies to drains. If drains are blocked by leaves, dirt, and other obstacles, it will block the water from escaping, making it deeper and more likely to flow into your home. Throughout the year, it's recommended to check drains and gutters, just to make sure they are clear.
2. Roof Protection
To begin with, the roofs' main purpose is to keep out the rain and bad weather. Bad roofing can cause rain to leak through your roof and into your home, causing resulting damages. For this reason, we recommend you consider applying a waterproofing solution to your roof, to create a strong protective barrier.
By applying a waterproofing solution, you will not only keep your roof in good shape but also leave you with peace of mind.
3. Know Your Threat Level
Not all homes are created equal. Some are built on hills, while others are built far away from rivers or other natural water sources. No matter where you live, however, there's always a threat of flooding. By knowing your flood risk, you can be properly prepared.
4. Upgrade Your Landscaping
Why not use Mother Nature to your advantage? We cannot control the flow of water, but certain plants and outdoor surfaces can be used to absorb water. Planting lots of shrubs and using gravel or brick for landscaping projects will improve your chances of surviving a flood with minimal damage.
5. Elevate Your Appliances
There are many elevated house plans for flood zones available, but most people can't afford these. A more cost-effective solution, however, is to try to keep electrical appliances and plugs away from the ground level. If you can't move these appliances up one level, you could elevate them on a platform. In the case of a flood, make sure to shut off the electrical circuit breaker panel to avoid any unnecessary accidents.
The lack of preparation and consciousness at times of a flood can lead to more devastating results and take longer to recover. So, make sure to take action before the water starts to reach you.
De Lucia Group has been servicing the property industry for over 45 years. Contact us to ensure you get the best advice for all your property-related queries. Michael De Lucia - michaeldl@delucia.co.za
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The information contained herein is not intended to constitute advice and shall only be relied upon by you at your own risk. De Lucia Group does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information posted in this newsletter or otherwise. Any information relied upon by you should be independently verified for accuracy. De Lucia Group reserves the right to change the content distributed or published without prior notice.
30 Jan 2023
Author De Lucia Group