We’ll all be thinking of Hurricane Harvey for decades to come – Texas just wasn’t prepared for a storm of that magnitude. Going into the future, every Texan should have the proper preparations in place to evade another catastrophe to the best of their abilities in the future. Here’s information from your Houston car accident lawyers regarding how to prepare your home and your family in the event of a flash flood.
Home Flood Prep Tips
Floods generally don’t come without a good deal of heavy wind. The moment that wind gets inside your home, the rest is history. The structural integrity of your home becomes compromised, and you’re left with the shell of a home. Ensure that you have real shutters – not aesthetic ones that are bolted to your home. Closing and securing these just before a major flood could be the difference between fixing water damage, or replacing walls and a roof.
Take note of your exact location – are there hills leading down to your property? Are you higher up than other homes on your street/block? While having the higher ground can result in lower damages, it can also create a greater need to protect yourself against strong winds that carry heavy rain. Remember that your home can flood from rainfall – not just rising water levels.
If you have the option, be sure to seal up your garage with your car inside. If you’re on high ground and don’t expect water levels to rise to your home, leaving your car parked on the street can cause massive damage. This will also allow you to properly prepare for an emergency evacuation, if needed.
Never Forget an Exit Plan
Your home may withstand the wreckage, but may not sustain you during the storm/flooding. Be sure to have an exit plan in place that’s been practiced and memorized by your entire family. In the event of an emergency evacuation that you can’t ignore, it’s always best to be ready.
Ensure that your exit plan contains a quick and easy way to shut down major utilities in your home, including gas, city/well water, and electricity. Remembering this step will reduce potential environmental hazards upon your return.
Do You Have Flood Insurance?
Insurance that isn’t required is generally an afterthought, but it’s extremely important to be ready for anything, especially given our state’s recent events. Whether you own or rent your home or business, everyone can purchase some form of flood insurance in Texas.
FEMA has information available to the public pertaining to flood insurance through their Flood Smart program. If you have any questions on how flood insurance works or who can benefit from it, be sure to inspect their free resources as soon as you can.
More Disaster Prevention
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