Plan Now for Potential Flooding
Take steps to protect your home from this costly and common peril
Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the U.S., according to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA). And just one inch of flooding can cost a homeowner $26,807 for a one-story 2,500-square-foot home.
Flooding doesn’t just happen near bodies of water. It happens in deserts after a major rain when the dry earth can’t absorb the precipitation fast enough. It happens in fire-scorched areas where the ground has been crusted over and made nonporous by burnt vegetation. It happens in early spring even when there’s no rainfall if the ground is still so frozen that the melted snow and ice on top can’t seep below the surface. Even manufactured conditions, like new roads and parking lots, can make flooding more likely.
Take These Immediate Steps
If a storm or heavy rain is approaching, take these precautionary steps immediately:
Clear the path to storm drains. Make sure there aren’t any objects diverting the water from running into those drains. Any water buildup can cause your house to flood.
How to
Buy Flood Insurance in Advance
The time to buy flood insurance is before a flood is imminent. Homeowners coverage won’t cover many types of floods, so flood insurance is a worthwhile purchase even if you’re not in a high-risk area. Indeed, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which underwrites the bulk of flood coverage in the U.S., says that 1 in 3 flood insurance claims come from moderate- to low-risk flood areas.
Check your property’s flood risk at FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center to get an idea of your property’s vulnerability. You can buy the NFIP’s flood insurance (called national flood insurance) from most regular insurance agents.
The average annual cost of national flood insurance—based on flood risk, the size and configuration of the home, and other factors—is $1,808. That said, 71 percent of insured homeowners pay less. Forty percent of policyholders pay under $1,000 a year, at an average price of $673. Another 30 percent pay an average premium of $1,416. Renters can buy contents coverage that will protect their belongings for as little as $100 a year. Learn more at the NFIP’s FloodSmart website.
Another reason to buy now is that national flood insurance policies don’t kick in until 30 days after purchase. If a flood is likely in the next few days, it’s too late to get coverage.
Improve Your Property
Making your property resistant to flooding will cost you some time and money upfront but ultimately could save you from far greater expenses:
Focus on the foundation. Fill hairline cracks and small holes with vinyl concrete patching compound or cement. For larger openings, use polyurethane, silicone, or latex concrete caulk (or call in a pro to do it). Waterproofing an entire basement ranges from $2,304 to $7,599, according to HomeAdvisor. Consider installing a sump pump with a backup battery; the typical price range for installation is $642 to $2,089, with an average price of $1,285, HomeAdvisor says.
Landscape right. A rain garden, for example, is a depressed area where water can pool after heavy rain and be absorbed into the earth. It can be planted with deep-rooted native species for natural flood prevention. You also could landscape your yard to include a swale—a grass- or vegetation-covered channel or ditch that collects water and absorbs it back into the soil more slowly than a rain garden.
Build to resist the worst. If you’re in a high-risk flood area, consider, among other measures, building a levee or flood wall, or even elevating your house. That last project is a pricey endeavor. Raising a home to reduce flood risk ranges from $20,000 to $80,000, according to the home improvement website Angi.com.
