Flooding presents a dangerous and costly risk to homes and businesses. Many home and business owners don’t even realize they are at risk. A report from First Street Foundation found that one-fourth of the nation’s infrastructure are at risk of flooding, in addition to revealing that flooding threats to residential properties are expected to increase by 10 percent over the next 30 years.
Many federal, state and local authorities have constructed commercial-grade flood walls to protect city streets and commercial districts. Now, innovative companies are coming up with new solutions to combat flooding, including removeable flood walls made of steel posts and watertight rubber seals. While tools like these can be a great solution for commercial shopping centers and municipalities, they are likely not cost-effective or user-friendly enough to be used by average home and business owners.
Fortunately, residential-grade flood barriers are available, and more innovative solutions are coming to market every day. Below, we count down the top three flood prevention systems:
Floodproof windows: Home and business owners can replace their windows with impact-rated, floodproof windows and window walls that are designed to protect the home from rising waters, as well as hurricane force winds and the flying debris that can accompany them. These windows from FloodProofing.com are said to withstand more than 10 feet of water. However, the price may be a bit out of the average homeowners’ budget.
Removeable flood doors: Property owners looking for a flood protection solution, with less of a financial commitment, can consider installing a lift-out flood wall, like the EZDam®. It attaches easily to the existing jambs at a door’s opening and deploys within 30 seconds. While much less messy than sandbags, and less costly than new windows, the product must fit within the measurements of the property’s door, requires some installation and can be fairly clunky to store.
HydraBarrier® water barriers: What might be the simplest and most cost-effective solution yet, the HydraBarrier uses water to combat water. The HydraBarrier is an affordable, extendable, re-usable sandless “sand” bag. When needed, property owners fill the bags with water, creating a durable, powerful barrier against rising flood waters. When not in use, HydraBarriers easily fold down for convenient storage.
As climate change and development continue to increase the threat of flooding nationwide, property owners can employ tools such as these, to enhance their flood protection measures. Of course, a flood prevention system alone is not enough to protect your property against the peril of flood. You should also consider purchasing flood insurance from a trusted industry specialist. FloodPrice.com can get you started with an obligation-free quote today. Simply fill out our online application, and get a quote in minutes. If you’re happy with your quote, you can purchase your policy right then and there. For help with questions, please call one of our Flood Experts at 866-503-5663.
