Spring brings hope for warmer weather and longer days, but it also brings with it some unfavorable weather conditions such as heavy rain, severe weather, and rapid snowmelt; all increasing the risk of a flood in your home. The best defense against flooding is being prepared and knowing your risks. Take action so that you can protect yourself, your family, and your business before it is too late!
There are a couple of risks associated with springtime:
Spring Thaw: As the temperatures begin to warm up, the snow begins to melt; this means large amounts of runoff in just a short period of time. Did you know that each cubic foot of snow amounts to gallons of water? As the early spring begins to creep up, the ground is still frozen; this prevents any rainfall or melting snow from saturating into the ground. This water will then run off the surface into lakes, rivers, and streams, making these bodies of water rise. If you add thunderstorms to the equation, it usually equals out to extreme spring flooding which can be a bad thing for your property if you aren’t prepared.
Spring Rains: Storms in the spring time can drop a lot of rain in one area in just a short amount of time, or it can slowly drop a lot of rain on a specific area for a couple of days. Heavy rain can lead to severe flooding just by the fact that too much water is saturating the ground at one time, making storm drains flow over or causing rivers and streams to spill over their banks.
Flash Flooding: A flash flood is extreme flooding of a low-lying area in less than six hours, which is then caused by intense rainfall or a thunderstorm. Flash floods also occur in drought-like conditions, which can still do some serious damage.
Levees & Dams: The United States has many levees and dams that are made for the sole purpose of protecting against flooding. Unfortunately, these structures can begin to weaken over time and can even fail during large flood events.
Almost everyone has some risk for spring flooding, and many are still unprotected. Just a few inches of water in your home can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damages. It is smart to consider the risk that is posed on your property and the consequences it may have if you don’t prepare. A flood doesn’t always have to be disastrous in order to bring high costing repairs, and you don’t have to live in a high-risk area in order to sustain flood damage to your property. About 20 % of all flood insurance claims are sent in by homeowners in moderate to low risk zones.
If you’re a home or business owner, the time to prepare is now! If you don’t already have a solid flood insurance plan, now is the time to purchase one! Remember that your standard homeowner’s policy does not cover flood damage. Also, in most cases, it usually takes about 30 days for your new flood insurance policy to go into effect, so it would be smart to purchase one now if you don’t already have one. Flood insurance won’t break your bank, as it is very affordable. The average flood insurance policy usually comes out to about $600 for the whole year. For just $600, you can have a peace of mind knowing that your property is safe and covered if it were to sustain flood damage.
