Flood Proofing Your Home

Preparing the Outside of Your House

Whether you’re living in a newly built house or an established home here in McKinney, there are effective measures you can take to prevent flooding and minimize the risk of water damage. By focusing on the exterior of your property, you can create a protective barrier against flooding and reduce the likelihood of needing extensive cleanup after a flood event.

New Builds

When constructing a home, prioritizing elevation and location is key to enhancing flood resilience. By ensuring that your home is adequately elevated and positioned away from river channels and shorelines, you can take proactive steps to protect it from potential flood damage. In many areas prone to flooding, local building regulations already mandate that new homes be constructed above designated flood levels, further reinforcing the importance of this precautionary measure. 

Landscaping is another key feature for preventing flooding inside your home. Yards should be properly graded to allow water to drain away from your house and foundation. Plants, trees, and shrubs should also be installed to absorb more water, minimize runoff, and reduce erosion. 

Fully-grown trees and clustered plantings are especially advantageous as they boast extensive root systems that facilitate drainage effectively. Even if your property isn’t situated in a flood-prone zone, implementing landscaping strategies to divert water away from your home remains a wise practice.

Existing Homes

Following the same landscaping recommendations for homes that are already built can ensure the exterior of your house will be the first line of defense against flooding. There are also some important exterior property maintenance tasks that should be done regularly to deter water from leaking into your home:

• Windows and doors: Regularly inspect your home for cracks and gaps, and promptly seal any you find. Additionally, remember to check the weatherstripping regularly, as it can warp or deteriorate over time. 
• Roof: Inspect your roof for missing or broken shingles. If you are worried or suspect any problems, contact a qualified roofing company to conduct a full roof inspection. Be sure to take care of any roofing issues right away.
• Downspouts and Gutters:
  Make sure to keep your downspouts, gutters, and gutter guards clear of debris and pointed away from the house. This allows water to drain freely and be diverted away from the foundation of your home. If water is pooling near your foundation, consider installing downspout extensions to redirect the flow away from the house.

Preparing the Inside of Your House

Flood-proofing the interior of a house is largely about minimizing the damage that can be caused if or when flooding occurs. Whether you’re concerned about new construction or an existing house, you can prepare the inside of your home to handle a flood situation in several ways.

New Build Interiors

Elevate utilities and appliances. Best practice is to elevate mechanical units, furnaces, water heaters, electrical systems, and other utilities on masonry, concrete, or pressure-treated lumber at least 12 inches above the base flood elevation (BFE).

Consider installing a sump pump in your McKinney home. Sump pumps are frequently added or upgraded in existing homes after experiencing basement flooding. However, if you’re constructing a new home, installing a sump pump from the beginning is a proactive measure to prepare for and prevent potential basement flooding.

Existing Home Interiors

For existing homes, there are still some effective ways to minimize flood damage when flooding does occur:

• Flooring: Replace carpeting with tiles.
• Reseal and waterproof the basement: Over time, foundations or floor slabs may develop cracks, leading to water seepage into a previously dry basement. Even cement floors and walls can deteriorate over time, potentially exacerbating the issue.
• Inspect appliances: Appliances are a common culprit of plumbing-related floods. Inspect your appliances regularly to ensure there are no cracks or leaks. Check the hoses and supply lines of water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerator ice makers, and any other appliances connected to water. 
• Travel considerations: Before going on vacation, it’s wise to shut off the water supply to your home. If someone is staying in your absence, make sure they are familiar with how to turn off the main water supply in case of an emergency.

Additional Steps When a Flood Is Imminent

• Securing yard items: If a flood is anticipated, secure items in the yard (benches, sheds, grills, etc.) in advance.
• Prevention measures: In the event of an impending flood, deploying sandbag barriers and boarding up your home can serve as effective preventive measures to mitigate flooding. These actions can help keep floodwater from entering your house during a crisis.

A few last flood preparedness tips: you can lift the furniture off the floor to protect it as much as possible. Pack items in waterproof bins and place them on shelving that’s off the floor. Store any important items or documents off-site.

You’re Flooded. Now What?

Homeowners with the best intentions of flood-proofing a house need to know what to do if their home does become flooded. This is where 1-800 WATER DAMAGE of North Dallas helps property owners get their homes back to a pre-loss, liveable condition.

Our water damage restoration specialists in McKinney are trained for flood situations and know what remediation tools and processes are necessary to restore a residential property to its pre-loss condition. Our team is fully vetted, IICRC-certified, and insured.

We assess the property in every situation to determine the best restoration solution. Depending on the source of the flood, there can be contaminants in the water that need to be managed in a precise way. Our teams at 1-800 WATER DAMAGE of North Dallas are fully trained and prepared to handle any flood and water damage situation we encounter.

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