How to Protect Your Home and Garage from Floods?

Since your garage is home to your belongings, valuables and vehicles, it is an essential part of your home. Unfortunately, many people overlook its significance and the fact that the garage is one area of your home that is susceptible to becoming flooded. Since the garage is easy to access and made this way by design, so too is it easy for floodwater and heavy rain to get into the garage. In this article, we discuss how to protect your garage from flooding, and below are some steps you can take in order to prevent flooding damages:

• Know your base flood elevation: The base flood elevation is something you should find out as soon as you move into a home. This is the marker of how high the flooding of an area could turn out to be in a worst-case scenario. It is expected that contractors will build higher than this point to be safe. If the elevation of the floor of the property is not higher than the base flood elevation, you may want to elevate the house. This is a preventative measure that can make a world of difference if your neighborhood starts to flood.
• Inspect Your Garage Doors Often: Having a licensed garage door repair contractor out to your house semi-regularly to check the state of your garage doors is a good idea. They can look for any openings like cracks in the garage floor, and look around at the walls, ceilings and doors. Their thorough inspection can tell you if there is anything that needs repairing. For instance, if there is a crack on the ground that poses a flood risk, you can just clean the area from debris, grease and oil, and then apply filler. This process is a lot quicker and simpler than having to clean up flood damage from not taking the proper precautions.
• Think About Flood Vents: There are specific vents designed to move flood water out of the garage. These vents let water move safely through the home and garage into a drainage system that has been well developed and stops the pressure from building up, something that might otherwise cause the foundation and walls to become compromised. A flood vent will redirect this pressure entirely, sparing your house the consequences. The drainage system can be built beneath the house and is a smart and fairly simple preventative measure.
• Weatherproof the Garage Doors: Most garage door companies will be able to dispatch a garage door repairman who can weatherproof your garage doors. Whether the material is wood, steel, carriage house or aluminum, it needs to be sealed at the bottom. Weather strips should also be applied along the edges. Such items are crafted out of vinyl, rubber or any other kind of material that resists water from seeping in. Over time, they will wear out, since weather and exposure will cause them to lose their integrity. For this reason, it is important to regularly check your garage door seals and make sure to get a contractor out to repair them for you as soon as you notice they are weakened.
• Be Sure Your Garage Doors Are in Good Condition: It may go without saying, but you should regularly look and see if your garage door is in good repair. If a flood occurs quickly in a high-risk flood area, you need to be able to move quickly. If this type of emergency arises, it is critical to be able to get the garage door open and your family safe in the car and out of the garage as soon as possible. Some things to check on include: Garage door springs and garage door balance. Moving parts of garage doors, including cables, rollers, pulleys and bearings. Regularly test the automatic garage door openers, emergency manual release mechanisms and the backup battery you have.

If you notice that any part of your garage is in disrepair, it is better to take the initiative and contact your local garage door repair company to get the issues fixed as quickly as possible.

Final Thoughts - Protect Your Home and Garage from Floods

There are many ways that authorities can notify residents of a town or city that a flood situation is a possibility, but it is your responsibility to take the necessary measures to keep your home and garage as well protected as you can in case the worst does happen. That way, even if you end up having to evacuate your home, you will have the peace of mind that you are likely to return to a house that is still in good working order instead of being torn apart by a flood. Above, we have outlined five ways that you can keep your garage and therefore your home better prepared to withstand the effects of a flood.