When it comes to protecting your home from water damage, sometimes simple leak-proofing techniques with landscaping are all you need. But when floodwaters rise around your home, you need to take extreme flood prevention measures. Check out what some people have attempted to keep their homes safe during a natural disaster.
Homemade Dams
People who live in flood-stricken Mississippi know a thing or two about extreme flood prevention measures. In the spring of 2011, the Yazoo River, a tributary of the Mississippi River, overflowed its banks.
Fortunately, dozens of residents in nearby Vicksburg (west of Jackson, Mississippi) were ready with homemade dams of earth and sand surrounding their properties. Not every temporary dam withstood the flood – some weren’t tall enough – but many homes were preserved thanks to the tenacity of the residents here.
Earth Mound
In February 2014, torrential rains and strong winds caused the Thames to burst its bank in the South of England. Hundreds of homes in the village of Moorland were severely damaged in the flood, even though emergency crews distributed tens of thousands of sandbags to help protect the homes there.
The entire village was evacuated, but one homeowner, Sam Notaro, stayed behind. He built a 5-foot-high earth mound around his home in an extreme flood prevention effort to protect his home. Even as floodwaters started seeping through the temporary dam, the team of diggers continued their work, never giving up the fight. Soon, the flood receded, and the water damage to Sam’s home was minimal thanks to his extreme flood management techniques.
Flood Gate
Living by a river is picturesque, but not when the river floods! Carl Canty knew this was a possibility when he bought his house in Selby, North Yorkshire along the River Derwent, so he took matters into his own hands with some extreme flood prevention measures.
The first lines of defense he installed were two hefty floodgates set in brick walls surrounding the property. These held back 3-foot-high floodwaters when the river broke its banks in December 2015. When water seeps through the gates, a sump pump automatically feeds the water back into the river.
Just in case those measures don’t pan out, Carl’s house is lined with a waterproof membrane to prevent moisture from seeping in. Even the garden gazebo is floodproofed, with a hydraulic system that raises the deck 6 feet to save it from water damage.
Aqua Dam
In the summer of 2016, torrential rains were forecast and a flood warning was issued in Rosharon, Texas. Resident Randy Wagner wanted to be ready since the thought of relocating his family was “heartbreaking.”
Randy set up a 400-foot-long 30-inch-high Aqua Dam around his house, all the while receiving strange looks from neighbors and passersby. But when 27-inch-high floodwaters rose around his property, his extreme flood prevention measures kept the house from sustaining any water damage at all!
The Aqua Dam cost over $8,000, but this investment saved Randy from what could have been $150,000 in damages. It pays to heed storm warnings and be as prepared as possible!
When Flood Management Techniques Don’t Work, Call Rainbow Restoration®
Sometimes, even extreme flood prevention methods are no match for Mother Nature. If your home is damaged in a flood, count on Rainbow Restoration® to set things right. We offer the water damage restoration services you need to get back on your feet after becoming a victim of a natural disaster.
Contact us today for a fast, professional response that will help you get your life back to normal as quickly as possible.
To help meet all of your home service needs, check out Neighborly. Once on the site, click on "Join the Community" to find providers to service all your home needs.
