Hurricane season is upon us and these natural disasters have already caused tremendous damage in numerous areas of the country this year. With gale force winds and torrential rain, these storms are no joke – and they have the potential to wreak havoc on homes anywhere they make landfall.

It’s been years since a hurricane or tropical storm caused significant damage in the broader mid-Atlantic, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared for the possibility. Acknowledging potential threats to your home and working to prevent them is the best way to avoid a big repair bill (or worse). So today, we’re covering a few things you can do to prevent flood damage in your home.

Plan Ahead

When it comes to minimizing potential damage to your home, your best efforts are going to be in preventing that damage from occurring in the first place. With that in mind, there are a few things you can do to help keep water out:

• Shore up your foundation. If there are cracks in the foundation of your house, you’ll want to fill them in ASAP with appropriate, waterproof materials. Mortar, masonry caulk, and even hydraulic cement can all patch up these gaps and ensure that your foundation won’t leak in the event of a serious storm.
• Install a battery-powered sump pump. Sump pumps do a phenomenal job at pushing water from inside your basement back out of your home… unless the power goes out. A sump pump with a battery backup can make all the difference in the world if a serious storm strikes and your electricity isn’t working.
• Move expensive items up and away. It might seem like common sense, but if there’s a hurricane or other major storm on the way, the best thing you can do for your expensive items is to move them. Clear out that basement man cave or family room, and move the TVs, entertainment systems, and other high-dollar items to an upper level of the house where they won’t be damaged if water gets in.

When Water Hits

Sometimes storms can be unpredictable and even more disastrous than expected. And in the event of a truly terrible weather event, it can be nearly impossible to completely protect your home from damage. So what do you do after the fact if your house is ravaged by storm water?

• Dry out immediately. As soon as your home is safe to re-enter, it’s important to start the drying process. If there is still standing water in your home, you’ll want to bring in a pro to make sure that it’s safe to be inside – and to help you bail out with pumps, wet vacuums, and fans to speed the drying process. The longer the water remains, the greater chance that it will cause additional damage, so you’ll want to start as soon as possible.
• Contact the insurance company. If you live in a flood zone and have a mortgage, chances are good that your bank will have required you to purchase flood insurance – and now’s the time to use it. Unfortunately, if you don’t live in a registered flood zone, you may not have this admittedly expensive coverage. Either way, it’s important to contact your insurance company to get the claim process started and see what help they can offer.