Risk of Flood Damage at Lowest Point in Four Years Thanks to Mild 2012 Winter

For the first time in four years, there are no areas of the country that are staring at any sort of high flood damage risk, due to the limited winter snowfall during 2012.

“We’re not forecasting a repeat of recent historic and prolonged flooding in the central and northern U.S., and that is a relief,” said Laura Furgione, deputy director, NOAA’s National Weather Service. “The severity of any flooding this year will be driven by rainfall more so than the melting of the current snowpack.”

River and stream levels are at normal to below normal levels throughout most of the country, and there is less snow pack than has been seen in recent years. The result is that there is less snow to melt, with correspondingly fewer opportunities for flooding to occur. The main risk for flooding comes with the heavy spring and early summer rainfalls that typically occur.

Drought conditions are expected to continue across much of the southern US and expand into the southwest through the end of spring.  The northern states will be less affected,

.“Recent rainfall has helped lessen the drought in eastern Oklahoma, northeast Texas and interior Louisiana, but the historic magnitude of this prolonged drought means that recovery will be slow,” said David Brown, Ph.D., director, NOAA Southern Region Climate Services. “Drought is now encompassing parts of the West and Southwest making conditions more favorable for wildfires.”

If there is a downside it is that drought conditions in some states such as Texas may be aggravated as a result of not enough available water to combat potential wildfire scenarios. This may place undue stress on crops and livestock due to lowered water levels and water conservation restrictions.

It is important to remember that even though flooding risk is at low ebb, the weather during this time may change quickly, from drought to flooding to severe weather and back again, with little or no warning.  Water damage may occur as a result of torrential rains over one area, or even through steady rain over one area for an extended period of time, usually as the result of a slow moving storm system.

In addition, when flash floods form, they do so quickly, sometimes in as little as a matter of minutes, and race across the countryside causing enormous damage to life and property. There are usually very few warnings in advance of flash floods, which means evacuation should take place the minute the alarm is sounded.

Floods can cause massive damage to structures, homes, and businesses. It is important to secure a qualified flood damage restoration company to handle any damage done to your property and possessions.

Your Kitchen and the Water Damage Threat

Water damage can occur in most any home, and for a number of reasons, but kitchens are usually ground zero when it comes to water damage problems. Kitchen water damage will affect almost any home you can find at some point, with varying levels of damage. Water damage is usually apparent through stains on the floor, walls, or cabinets. The most common problems are as follows.

Kitchen cabinets might have water damage around the floor or walls, indicating that the sink trap or drainage system might not be working properly. Any leak or backup, even on the smallest scale, can create serious water problems if allowed to remain unrepaired for an extended period of time.

Since water loves to run downhill, the flooring is a prime target for water problems, and as a result, wood flooring is not recommended for kitchen use. Wood flooring may warp and crack as a result of water damage, making repairs difficult. Make sure all hoses and drain lines servicing the dishwasher or fridge are tight and in good working condition. Replace these items as necessary.

If you find areas where the drywall is soft or easily breaks down, that may be a very good sign that water damage has taken place. Discolored or swollen drywall may be another dead giveaway.

The kitchen sink is one of the most commonly used components of your kitchen, and as a result suffers far more wear and tear. Check the sin regularly for leak problems, drainage issues, etc. Check under the sink, in the floor of the lower cabinets, for any signs of water stains or other telltale evidence of the presence of water. If the sink needs to be repaired or even replaced, do so immediately. Continuing to work with a damaged sink will only cause more water damage problems.

Dishwashers are another prime source for water damage, and one that can deliver a great deal of water through leakage very quickly if not caught in time. Water supply and drainage lines may fail, or the unit’s filter may become clogged, preventing the unit from draining properly. Steel braided hoses are recommended for any appliance use as they are stronger and longer lasting than the majority of available hoses.

The refrigerator is another top culprit when it comes to water damage in the kitchen. The rear of the fridge is a difficult one to reach, since moving the fridge can be awkward and cumbersome, however it is important to do so in order to check for signs of water damage. In many cases, water damage in this area may be given away by indications of mold along the back of the unit. Check the hose for the icemaker, and if possible (again) replace it with a longer lasting steel braided hose. Also, keep the drain pan of your refrigerator clean and dry to avoid water problems.

Flood Season, Time to Protect your Home

Spring is here and although it brings a lot of enjoyable experiences like blooming flowers and warm weather it can also bring a lot of trouble as well. Flooding is most common in the Spring and many counties have already experienced flood warnings. Don’t wait for your county to be under a flood watch before you take preventative steps to protect your home. The time to act is now, when you have time to check your home and basement for signs of potential flooding problems. Below are some important steps to take before a flood happens, that should be carried out every spring before flooding can occur.

1. Flooding most often occurs in the Spring for two reasons. The first reason is clear because in the Spring we have heavy amounts of rain that the ground cannot absorb. However, the other reason for high flooding in the Spring is because of the toll that Winter takes on your home. The freezing and warming and refreezing cycle that can occur during a Winter can be disastrous to your home. Water can fit into the smallest of cracks and then when it freezes it expands creating a larger crack or hole than before. This is why it is important to go over your basement in early Spring to make sure that no new cracks in walls or pipes have occurred over the Winter.
2. A combination of Winter storms and Spring winds can also affect your home very negatively. This is why it is important to make sure that all outside water gutters are still intact and working properly. If water is not being drained away from the house properly then all of the rain will collect at the base of your home and increase the chances of having a flooded basement.
3. An additional step that should be taken with your drains and gutters is to check and make sure that they are not clogged. The best time to take care of cleaning out your gutters is late Fall when all of the leaves have fallen off the trees. However, many people forget to take care of this during the Fall and it is important to take care of before heavy rains occur in the Spring. If gutters are clogged then it doesn’t matter if your drains are leading away from the home because your gutters will overflow and water will settle at the base of your home.
4. In addition to taking care of exterior drains and gutters it is important to check your interior draining systems. If your basement has a sub pump make sure that it is working properly before you risk dealing with a flooded basement. If you do not have a sub pump it is a good idea of buy one or a water vac to keep on hand in case of a water damage emergency.

Overall, it is important to take preventative small steps before a flood rather than having to deal with the expenses of a flooded basement. If you do find your home or basement under water be sure to dry up the mess by calling a water restoration company. Water restoration professionals can minimize water damage and restore your home to the way it was before the damaged occur. Although water restoration teams are great for fixing flooded basements it is always better to avoid the headache and take preventative steps before something major happens.

Flood Preparation Primer

Okay, severe weather season 2012 is officially underway, and hurricane season is just around the corner, both of which mean that the chances for severe weather are significantly increased, and this means an abundance of rain, hail, wind, and of course, the increased risk of flooding. Floods commonly accompany cases of severe weather, and can cause enormous damage to life and property within a matter of hours or even minutes. The last thing you want as a property owner is to be caught unaware or unprepared. So without becoming overly paranoid, how do you prepare yourself and secure your property against the flooding threat?

First off, determine your flood risk. This can be done through your local emergency management office, and is best executed by examining past weather and flooding patterns. Knowing what has gone on before in your area will give you an idea of how much flooding you may expect in the future. Use this information to plan your strategy.

Obviously, the most important items in your home should be secured first. Any important documents, such as financial, health, school, insurance, and family information should be gathered together and kept in a safe place, preferably a higher floor, out of reach of flood waters. You can also pack it to go with you in the event of an evacuation. Evacuations need to be ruthlessly efficient, meaning you take only what is needed to assure provision for you and your family during an extended stay away from home.

Most every home now is equipped with a computer, and much of our important information is stored as files. These need to be backed up, preferably to an offsite backup service which ensures your files are protected even if your computer crashes, but at the very least they should be backed up to an external hard drive. Take this drive with you in the event of any evacuation. Computers are commonly damaged or destroyed as the result of flooding.

Homes that are flooded while electricity and gas are still active become extremely dangerous when it comes to returning home and beginning water damage repair and restoration. The last thing you should do on your way out the door is to shut off these utilities at their source. The main electrical disconnect is at the service panel and may be thrown manually. The gas is more involved, requiring use of a wrench to turn the metal projection on the valve near the meter. The projection should be turned 90 degree clockwise or counterclockwise, whichever is easier. Remember that utilities will have to be turned back on by their respective companies.

Lastly, consider anything and everything that might create a mess as a result of flooding, and move it to a higher floor. The more you can do to cut down on the water damage left behind after a flood, the easier the cleanup will be (or at least as easy as it can be, given the circumstances).

Finally, contact your local flood and water damage professionals to come and begin the restoration process. They are trained on proper procedures for getting the water out of your home and cleaning everything up, allowing you to return to life as normal as soon as possible.

New Radar Helps Forecasters Predict Severe Weather More Accurately

When severe weather strikes, advanced warning is everything, because that is what largely determines if you are able to get out of the way or not, preventing injury or loss of life, or if you are able to properly prepare your home, which prevents destruction of valuables due to water damage.

During the spring and early summer months, severe weather systems blow up out of nowhere, with surprising rapidity, and with a seemingly random appearance and occurrence. Forecasting these storms requires meteorologists to stay on their toes, continuously monitoring rapidly changing weather conditions in an effort to provider viewers and listeners with the most up to date forecast possible. This becomes doubly difficult when the forecast may quite literally be changing by the minute.

Thanks to a new meteorological advancement, severe weather may soon be forecast even sooner than normal, increasing preparation time for those in its path.

The National Weather Service now has a new radar that can allow for faster dissemination of data, allowing for both horizontal and vertical views of torrential rain events. It is called “dual pol” technology, which is short for dual polarization, and it allows for a 3-D view of all conditions occurring within and around a storm cloud.

Dual pol radars send out two separate pulses to gather a cross section of the storm particles, and they use three different pieces of data to decide the severity of the storm. This allows for a much faster determination of exactly what kind of storm is being dealt with, and provides for much more detailed information to be passed on to the public.

Many severe storms can be hard to forecast because their duration is so brief. With dual pol it will be much easier to let people know what they can expect from a given storm system, even if that system is short lived. For example, hail has profoundly different effects than rain, but both show up almost identically on traditional radar. Dual Pol will be able to differentiate between the two. The end result is that the public finds out about storms more quickly and has time to protect their family from danger and their homes from water damage.

Dual pol systems have already been credited with saving lives, and by the end of the year, the technology should be in use nationwide.

For emergency disaster recovery, contact your local water damage restoration company.