How to Prevent Your House from Flooding

Lindsay Bishop
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Updated

To prevent your home from flooding, research the flood risk in your area and upgrade your home to reduce flood damage.

You should be prepared to stop flooding by having sandbags and a wet/dry vacuum on hand. You can also install a sump pump if you have a basement.

How to evaluate your flood risk
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How to evaluate your flood risk
How to flood proof your house
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How to flood proof your house

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How to evaluate the risk of flooding in your home

To determine your home's risk of flooding, you should look at flood maps, confirm your home's flood level and pay attention to rainwater runoff.

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Understand your area's flood zones

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Map Service Center shows general flood risk by region. Enter your address in the search bar to see your area's flood zones. Or click "Search All Products" and select your state, county and community to see reports of your region's flood history.

Flood maps include a number of zone markings that show your region's flood risk and structures such as bridges, dams and levees.

Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) are shaded blue on the FEMA map and have zone names beginning with an A or V.

Special flood hazard areas are likely to face significant flooding at least once every 100 years. Although this may seem minimal, FEMA considers SFHAs high risk for flooding.

If your home is in a special flood hazard area, you should buy a flood insurance policy and take steps to flood-proof your home.

Channels or streams that allow flood waters to disperse, known as regulatory floodways, are shown on the map with blue and red stripes.

They often include a river and its surrounding floodplain.

These floodways are usually kept clear to allow water to drain from adjacent flood zones. But some houses are built in or near regulatory floodways. If this is the case for your home, you should take major precautions to protect the house from flooding. It's also important for these homeowners to have flood insurance.

Zones B and X are likely to face significant flooding at least once every 500 years and are shaded orange.

Homeowners in these areas should still buy a flood insurance policy. But because these regions face a lower flood risk than blue zones, your flood insurance rates will likely be lower. You should also ensure your house is not at risk of flooding due to leaks or excessive surface runoff after rainstorms.

Zone D has an undetermined flood risk and is shaded a light yellow-orange on the map.

If you live in or are looking to buy property in Zone D, you should research the area's flood history. Ask neighbors what kind of flooding they've seen over the course of their time there. Also, have your appraiser make sure your home can withstand any likely flooding.

When viewing maps for your region, note the year the map was made. If it's outdated, the actual flood risk in your area might be different than what’s shown on the map.

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Standard homeowners insurance doesn't protect you from flood water.

Instead, you'll need to buy a separate flood insurance policy.

Homeowners can either get flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurance company. You should start by checking with your current home insurance company to see if it offers either NFIP or private flood insurance.

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Determine your home's flood level

Next, work with your flood insurance agent or adjuster to determine the flood level of your house.

The flood level is the height to which floodwaters could rise during a bad storm or high tide.

Ideally, your home should sit above this level to protect against flood damage.

For example, if your house is at the bottom of a valley, it could have a higher flood level than a neighbor's house that’s uphill of yours. This is because more water might flow toward your home during a heavy rain.

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Watch for rainwater runoff patterns

Pay attention to the surface runoff the next time you experience significant rain or snowmelt.

Note whether the water flows toward or away from your home, as well as any doors or basement windows where it pools. This will help you understand the risk of flooding and identify areas that might benefit from flood-proofing techniques.

How to flood proof your house

There are many different ways to flood proof your home. Flood solutions can range from expensive home renovations to basic maintenance.

If your home wasn't built to withstand rising water, some flood prevention techniques may help minimize flood damage. If you're building a new home in a flood-prone area, you should incorporate some of these flood prevention techniques into your design plan.

10 ways to prevent flood damage

  • Raise your home on stilts or piers. Elevating a house in a flood zone also raises the flood level. Even an inch of floodwater can lead to significant damage. So raising your home above the flood level will substantially protect your home.

    It can be very expensive to raise an existing home onto stilts or piers. However, it may be worth it if your home has a very high risk of flooding.

  • Install foundation vents or a sump pump. Foundation vents allow water to flow through your home, rather than pool around it. This provides an outlet for floodwaters and relieves the pressure they can put on your walls and basement windows.

    Sump pumps pump water out of basements where flooding happens regularly. You should invest in a sump pump with a battery backup, in case the power goes out.

  • Apply coatings and sealants to your foundation, walls, windows and doorways. This can help prevent floodwaters from leaking into your house through cracks.

  • Raise your electrical outlets and switches. All outlets, switches, sockets and circuit breakers should be at least one foot above flood level. This can help you avoid significant electrical damage from a flood.

  • Install check valves on your pipes. Make sure all the pipes entering your house have valves to prevent a flooded sewage system from backing up into your home. Gate valves are typically better than flap valves, because they provide a better seal against flood pressure.

  • Grade your lawn away from the house. If your lawn tilts toward your house, rainwater will pool around your home. Use a heavy soil that contains clay and sand to regrade your lawn. This can help surface runoff empty into an appropriate place, such as a street gutter.

  • Leave space between mulch and siding. Wet mulch can rot some types of siding, which can lead to leaks. Keep space between your mulch and siding so the base of your house can completely dry after rainstorms.

  • Point your downspouts away from your home. If your gutter doesn't point runoff away from your house, it can pool at the corners of your home. This can eventually create leaks in your basement.

  • Elevate your utilities. Raise your heating and air conditioning (HVAC) units, generators, water heater and pump and utility meters at least one foot above the flood level. This will prevent expensive damage and help you maintain the use of your utilities during a flood.

  • Install a flood alert system. You can buy flood sensors and place them in areas at risk of flooding, such as your basement. These sensors send an alert to your phone if they detect water, so you can quickly work to prevent any major damage. You can also invest in hardware that shuts off the water supply to your home if it detects a leak.

How to stop flooding once it starts

If a storm is headed your way, or your home has already started flooding, you should:

  • Shut off the main water line, if that's the source of the flooding.
  • Clear out gutters and drains, so water can flow freely.
  • Use sandbags to block any gaps that could lead to flooding.
  • Move rugs, furniture, electronics and other valuables to a higher floor of your home, or elevate them.
  • Shut off your electricity at the breaker panel if floodwaters are close to reaching your electrical system.
  • Turn on your sump pump or use a wet/dry vacuum to remove water as quickly as possible.
  • If it's not raining, open windows to allow airflow through your home.

You should also photograph or take a video of any flooding. You'll use this as evidence if you need to file an insurance claim to fix any damage or replace your belongings.

Frequently asked questions

How do I stop my house from flooding?

If a storm is headed your way, you should place sandbags around doors and board up windows. Turn on your sump pump or use a wet/dry vacuum to remove any flood water already inside your home. To prevent any additional damage, move your belongings to a higher floor or elevate them.

What can I do to prevent a house flood?

To prevent your home from flooding, you can point gutter downspouts away from your home, leave space between your siding and mulch and apply sealants to your foundation, walls, windows and doorways. If your home is at an extreme risk of flooding, you can consider more expensive renovations, including raising your home on stilts or piers.

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.

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