Help prevent flooding in your home from torrential rain

When rain comes in like the tropical storms and hurricanes that can batter Long Island, flooding is common. Streets, buildings and homes can become filled with pools of water that can cause millions of dollars in damage. Here are a few tips to help prevent flood damage in your home, on your property and in your finished basement.

Make sure your gutters are in top shape
Gutters are designed to take water coming off your roof and move it away from your foundation. However, when gutters are broken or clogged, or the downspout is damaged, water can come down and pool around your foundation, eventually leading to basement flooding, the Washington Post explained. Talk to exterior design experts to get the best gutter systems that are the easiest to clean. A functional drainage system can be the difference between a flood in your basement and a nice rainy day spent indoors.

Fix your foundation
No matter how much you protect your foundation with improved drainage, a crack in the foundation will leave you liable to flooding when it rains a dozen inches in a night. Bob Vila's website recommended that people seek professional help to fix these cracks, or use epoxy or masonry sealer.

Flooding can create serious damage.

Design your home with flood-resistant materials
If you're building a new home, redesigning a space as an expansion or recovering from flood damage, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommended that people build with flood-resistant materials. Other flood building tips include using tiles and rugs rather than carpeting, raising electrical outlets higher in the walls, installing one-way flow valves in plumbing and avoiding thin wooden doors and windows. These tips can help your home be more resistant to flooding as well as recover more easily from flooding if it does occur.

Take more drastic steps
When flooding is a consistent problem for homeowners, they may choose to move, elevate their home or relocate their structure. These options are sometimes the only way to avoid the dangers and risks associated with floods.

If you find your home being flooded by torrential rain or hurricane-style storms, take the proper precautions to avoid further trouble.