Is My House Safe From Flooding?

There's no way of knowing whether your house is entirely safe from flooding. Even if you don't live in a designated "flood zone," you could still get hit by some unexpected flooding from time to time. That being said, the first thing to check is a flood zone map. The map will tell you which zone you're in, and each zone is correlated with a level of flooding risk. Depending on the zone, you may also be legally required to purchase flood insurance. If you aren't sure, your independent insurance agent can help with that.

Aside from the flood map, you should also check out simple things you could do on your own to prevent flooding. For example, flooding from weather or a system break will affect homes on a pitch angled downhill the most. If your home is on uneven ground, there's an easy fix — slope the yard away from the house. This will prevent the water from sloping toward and into your home.