Protect Your Home

from Flooding

LOW-COST PROJECTS YOU CAN DO YOURSELF

FLOODING IS THE MOST COMMON AND COSTLY DISASTER

IN THE UNITED STATES AND CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE.

However, there are many ways to reduce your home’s risk of ooding,

and not all of them are difcult or expensive. This guide briey describes

some of the smaller, lower cost actions you can take yourself or with minor

assistance from others. It also suggests places you can go to nd more

more details about your home’s level of ood risk, including the type of ood

zone it is in and, if available, the potential ood elevation (referred to as the

“base ood elevation” on a ood map). A good place to start is FEMA’s online

Flood Map Service Center at www.msc.fema.gov/portal/. You can also visit the

ofcials in your community who maintain the FEMA ood maps and elevation

certicates; they may work in the local planning and zoning ofce or in the

building department. Talk to them, your neighbors, and others about any past

ood events and how high the water has risen in the past at or near your home.

and personal belongings. Even if your home is in a low- or moderate-risk ood

at a preferred rate. Preferred Risk Policy premiums are the lowest premiums

available, offering building and contents coverage for one low price.

home from ooding. Consider which of the methods included in this guide are

most appropriate and practical, based on your home’s ood risk, and create

a plan to mitigate the risk to your property. Even after a mitigation project,

some risk will remain, so learn about more actions to prepare and protect

your family, home, and belongings at www.ready.gov/make-a-plan.

• Install a rain barrel. A rain barrel is an alternative method for

dealing with rainwater. Rain barrels are typically connected to gutter

the potential ood elevation. For identied high-risk zones this means

going to or above the regulatory ood elevation for the property as

adopted by the local community. This inexpensive action can help

prevent signicant damage and disruption following a ood event.

• Anchor outdoor fuel tanks. Attach outdoor fuel tanks to a large

concrete slab that weighs enough to resist the force of oodwaters,

or install inexpensive ground anchors that are connected across

the top of the tank with metal straps. Unanchored fuel tanks can be

easily moved and ruptured by oodwaters and pose serious threats to

people, property, and the environment. If located in an identied high-

For the exterior areas of your property, consider taking the

maintain gutters, downspouts, and splashpads so that rainwater from your

roof ows easily away from your home. Also, make sure that any nearby

drainage ditches or storm drains are clear of debris and functioning

around your home to identify potential trouble spots (often easy to see

during an average rainstorm). Stormwater should always drain away from

the building; if necessary, change your landscaping to improve runoff.

This may include building up any sunken areas around the foundation,

digging small depressions to properly channel water, and otherwise

vegetated swales, or pervious pavements, which allow more water to be

absorbed by the ground.

Please be aware that flood mitigation measures need to be

tailored to the property in question. Depending on the project,

you may need to consult local architects, engineers, contractors,

landscapers, or other experts in design and construction. Also,

changes to properties and buildings often require permits or other

regulatory approvals. Your local planning and zoning office or

building department is a good place to start for advice on how to

best proceed. Lastly, please remember to be kind to your neighbors!

INSIDE THE HOME

other valuable or sentimental items to a safer location, well above the

potential ood elevation and/or inside watertight containers.

cracks with mortar and masonry caulk or hydraulic cement, which

expands and lls gaps completely. Seal walls in your basements with

waterproong compounds to avoid seepage. Make sure any oor drains

are clear of obstructions.

allow oodwater to ow freely through an enclosure such as a crawlspace

or garage. Properly positioned and installed ood vents protect homes

from your home, can be an excellent defense against basement seepage

and ooding. They draw in the groundwater from around the house

and direct it away from the structure through drainage pipes. Be sure

to choose a device with battery-operated backup, in case of electrical

drains to prevent sewer backups. Another recommended option,

regardless of the potential ood elevation, is to install sewer backow

valves for all pipes entering the building. These devices, which allow

water to ow only one direction, prevent oodwater and wastewater from

of tted carpets.

— Replace internal walls and ceilings with ood-resistant material such

as lime plaster, cement board, concrete, or pressure-treated and

decay-resistant wood.

— Replace wooden doors and window frames with metal or other ood-

resistant options.

service panels (fuse and circuit breaker boxes) and all outlets, switches,

and wiring to at least 1 foot above the potential ood elevation. These

modications should be made by a licensed electrician.

options such as replacing traditional hot water heaters with tankless

units should also be considered.

a large concrete slab that weighs enough to resist the force

of oodwaters.

warning devices can alert you to the risk of imminent ooding so that

you can take preventative or protective actions before extensive damage

occurs (see “Flood Preparedness”).

FLOOD PREPAREDNESS

your home:

• Activate ood protection devices (turn on sump pumps, close backow

valves, etc.).

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

to speak with the designated floodplain administrator.