4 Tips to Reduce Water Damage in a Flood Zone

If you live in a flood zone, you need to take the necessary steps to reduce your risk of damage.

Flooding can cause severe structural damage to your property, but here are ways to prepare your home for inevitable, so it stands a chance.

1. Install Foundation Flood Vents

Foundation flood vents are designed to direct floodwater through your property, rather than allowing it to pool around. This gives water a place to go, which can reduce structural damage.

For instance, a home without foundation flood vents can experience significant damage because water pools under the home with no place to go, so air pressure builds up and causes it to burst through the foundation. A foundation flood vent allows that water to escape.

Sump pumps are also frequently used to help pump water out of your basement in the most extreme cases of flooding.

This home has curb appeal, but it's also at risk of flooding. — Mulch should never press against your siding in a flood-prone area. (DepositPhotos)

2. Protect the Exterior

If mulch or dirt presses up against your home’s siding, it could cause significant damage. Wet mulch can rot away at your home’s siding, which can lead to all types of leaks and flooding issues.

Make sure that you have a protective barrier between these sections of your home, and that the area stays dry, especially after a rainstorm.