Five Ideas For Protecting Your Home From Flooding Related To Global Warming

Construction & Contractors Articles

Global warming, according to the Australian government, has the power to greatly impact citizens' homes and their lives. In addition to many of the projected climate shifts, scientists project there will be more floods, hail storms and storm surges, and they assert that Australian residents will feel a noticeable increase in these activities by the year 2030. If you are wondering what you can do to protect your home from flooding or water damage, here are five ideas for you to consider:

1. House Raising

Raising your home consists of lifting it with a powerful series of jacks and inserting poles or stumps beneath it. These poles hold the home off the ground, providing you with extra space to park cars or store bicycles, but more importantly, they allow water to flow beneath your home without entering your home or sweeping it away. If your home is currently uneven, raising it also levels it and can even close up cracks in floors or walls. For more information, contact a house raising contractor like Brian's Restumping.

2. Water Resistant Building Materials

To ensure that any water that reaches your home does as little damage as possible, plan to use water-resistant building materials in your home. For example, if you raise your home to minimise the risk of flooding, stay away from traditional timber stumps. Instead, use steel or other water-resistant materials.

Similarly when building a home or refurbishing your current home, use moisture resistant materials such as concrete or non-porous stone with waterproof mortar for flooring. For walls, substitute waterproof polyurethane panels for traditional options such as particle board, plyboard or composite materials.

3. Water Harvesting

As global warming warps weather patterns, weather may become more dramatic. After large floods or intense storm surges, areas may experience periods of drought. You can prepare for droughts by harvesting rain or hail as it falls. Water harvesting systems help you to maintain your access to water during droughts, but during floods, they are extremely valuable in moving water off and away from your home.

A water harvesting system involves a solid set of gutters and drainpipes. Gutters should be designed to efficiently catch the water rolling off your roof, and your downspouts should carry that water to an attached system of barrels. Once stored in the barrels, the water can be used to fill your pool or water your garden. It can also be treated for drinking.

4. Landscaping That Redirects Water

In addition to making your home as waterproof as possible and using its drainage system to remove or harvest water, consider the impact your landscaping has on flooding. Design the land around your home with a slight slope so that water does not pool around the home. The slope barely needs to be noticeable – aim for a 19 centimeter elevation decline for every meter out from your home.

French drains or swales – essentially gutters buried in your garden to carry away water – can also be effective. Alternatively, build a water filtration pit so that the water in your yard can be absorbed back into the groundwater system. To keep water away from your home, you can also dig a trench and build your own levee system around your land. Made from the right materials, a levee system can look like a decorative wall.

5. Flood Insurance

At times, it can be impossible to stop flooding from having an impact on your home. To ensure you can afford to make the necessary repairs and replacements after flood damage, you need a strong insurance policy. Contact your home insurance agent and make sure that your policy covers the major threats in your area from flooding to bush fries.

26 January 2015