LANCASTER, Pa. — Many counties in central Pennsylvania are expecting to see heavy rain Friday, as a result of Tropical Storm Debby. This means you could potentially experience flooding in your home if you're not prepared.
FEMA says flooding is the most common and costly disaster event across our nation.
Experts encourage you to make sure you know your risk of flood damage to your property.
It's also important to insure your property, because according to FEMA, flood damage isn’t covered by standard homeowners' insurance policies, and just a few inches of floodwater can end up costing thousands of dollars in repairs.
But ultimately, it's imperative to reduce the risk of flooding from both inside and outside of your home.
Antonio Santiago, a mitigation manager at Paul Davis Restoration in Lancaster, told us installing a working sump pump, having cleared gutters and cutting trees outside of the home can make a big difference.
FEMA also suggests you seal your foundation and basement walls and install flood vents.
Other tips from FEMA for indoor preparations/alterations include:
- Protect your valuable possessions.
- Prevent sewer backups: Install drain plugs for all basement floor drains to prevent sewer backups.
- Use flood-resistant building materials.
- Anchor indoor fuel tanks.
- Install a flood alert system.
Here are some other suggested outdoor preparations/alterations:
- Improve lot grading. Determine how water flows or accumulates around your home to identify potential trouble spots (these are often easy to see during an average rainstorm).
- Anchor outdoor fuel tanks.
For more flooding preparation tips from FEMA, click here.