There are a variety of steps you should take when preparing for the DC flood season. First, you can start by assessing your home’s risks, and then build a plan to accommodate your needs. If you take enough precautions, you may never have to use your emergency plan at all. Today we will address the steps necessary, when preparing for flood season.

Assess your home’s risks

If you’ve never formally addressed your home’s risk of flooding, it’s important that you gather more information. Knowledge is power. Check your city’s detailed documentation to determine if your home rests in a flood zone. If it does, find out how far above them you are. Even if you’re supposedly out of danger, continue down the list anyway. There’s a first time for everything. If you find you’re more than likely in for a rough DC flood season, prepare in advance.

Gather supplies

A comprehensive emergency kit takes advanced thought. You should prepare for generic disaster by packing up food, water, and medications your family will need. For a flood, pack tarps and buckets as well. If you have the opportunity to gather sandbags, take advantage of it. Once water is in your home, it’s in. Prevention is the key.

Make an action plan with your family

No list on DC flood season preparation would be complete without an action plan for your family. In the event of unusually dire flooding, you may have to evacuate. If your family is separated, where can you all go to meet? Make sure that every child in your family old enough can remember their and your full names, addresses, and phone numbers. Having this settled will take much of the anxiety out of an approaching storm.

Waterproof your basement

Basement waterproofing is a good way to combat water leakage. The saturated ground around your house will try to leak into your basement. You can prevent this with commercial sealant. If you have a history of working around the house, then this should be considered an advanced DIY project. If not, have a professional complete this step as well as the next.

Seal exterior walls

Sealing exterior walls will protect your home or building from water absorption. Rising flood waters will coat the exterior of your home. If you haven’t prepared for it, you could wind up with waterlogged walls. Sealing the exterior walls prevents water absorption and wall warping, and helps maintain your home’s overall seal.

Repair weather stripping

While weather stripping may seem like a small thing, it can either make or break how well your home is sealed. Check weather stripping at the end of each summer. Weather stripping should form a tight seal. Dry, brittle weather stripping is prone to cracking and crumbling. These imperfections allow water into the building.

Minimize potential flood damage

When you know that a storm is coming, take steps to minimize potential flood damage. Don’t go into the DC flood season with all your valuables on the floor of the basement. Move everything valuable off the floor, and preferably onto a second story. Make sure that your windows and shutters are closed. If you have cars, try to move them to high ground before the storm hits.

DC flood season is no laughing matter. Be proactive in protecting your building and your possessions. Check your home for sealing before the DC flood season arrives. Even if you never have to evacuate, make sure every member of your family knows where to meet and how to identify themselves and you. Preparation is the best answer to emergencies.

How to Prepare for DC Flood Season