South Florida Flooding: How to Prepare for Record Rainfall

South Florida Flooding: How to Prepare for Record Rainfall

With record-breaking rainfall in recent weeks, South Florida is experiencing one of its wettest summers in nearly a century. Unfortunately, this means your home is more at risk for flood damage, which could be disastrous if you’re unprepared.

While it’s true that you can’t do anything to stop Mother Nature from raining down excessively to flood your home or property, there are some steps you can take to help prevent damage and make recovery easier.

How to Prepare for A Flood

You probably have a hurricane plan, but what if those warnings aren’t in effect? Are you still prepared to protect your home or evacuate as needed?

Flood preparedness is just as essential as hurricane preparedness, especially during Florida’s crazy summer storms. Here’s how you can help prepare your property.

Familiarize Yourself with Local Emergency Plans

Floods are the nation’s most commonly occurring natural disasters, and they can develop rather suddenly, sometimes within minutes, causing what’s known as flash flooding. In this case, your best bet is to plan ahead of time.

You should:

• Identify your risk of flooding and flood zone classification in case of an evacuation order
• Learn your evacuation route so it’s easier to navigate under pressure
• Find local shelters, if applicable, to stay safe in if evacuation isn’t an option
• Create an emergency supply kit with food, water, medical supplies, clothing, and light, similar to a hurricane survival kit

Once you have an emergency plan and supplies put together, you’re more prepared for any sudden flooding.

Prepare Your Property

Flooding can cause immense damage to your property and, if the water levels get too high, put your health at risk. You need to take some steps to minimize the risk of physical harm and reduce the storm’s impact on your personal life.

Here’s what you can do to protect your property:

• Remove electronics and sensitive materials like important documents from lower levels
• Install flood barriers like sandbags and barriers over any floor-level windows
• Seal gaps and cracks in your walls, windows, and door to minimize water penetration
• Use a sump pump to help remove water as quickly as possible
• Clean your gutters and expand downspouts to allow water to flow away from your property
• Install backflow valves to avoid sewage backups
• Turn off electricity in areas likely to be impacted by flooding

Unfortunately, you won’t always have notice of flooding to make all these preparations. However, preventative measures like sealing exterior entries and maintaining gutters can go a long way towards reducing damage during regular rain storms as well.

Do You Need Flood Insurance?

Despite the danger and prevalence of floods, Florida homeowners are not required to have flood insurance. As a result, your homeowners insurance policy may not include coverage for flood damage unless your mortgage lender requires it, so now is a crucial time to check what your plan covers.

If you don’t already have flood insurance, applying for a policy as soon as possible could save you thousands. But you’ll need to act quickly, as most policies implement a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins. However, if FEMA has declared your area to be a high-risk flood zone within the past 13 months, your coverage will go into effect within a day of purchase.

Find Your South Florida Home This Summer with Great Florida Homes

Whether you’re a homeowner looking to sell your home or a new South Floridian arming yourself with knowledge about your new environment, local real estate experts can help you interpret flood risks to ensure you’re protected.

With over 35 years of experience, you can be sure we’ll help you get top-dollar for your property or choose the right South Florida house for you to call home. Get in touch with the Great Florida Homes team today to learn more.