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Designing Houses to Combat Flooding

  • 15 Oct, 2021
  • Engineering

Designing Houses to Combat Flooding

Flooding is a major problem for homeowners around the States and can have deadly consequences. Even though architecture can’t protect your home from the most devastating floods, there are a number of protective measures that could help mitigate damages. Here are some of the best ways to protect your home from future flooding events:

Raise your home above flood levels

To minimize flood damages, your home should be above the flood level in your area. With the help of architects and a construction team, they can determine the best method of lifting your house. A common way to elevate a structure is with columns or stilts, but a solid foundation can also be raised. 

Use flood resistant materials

Flood resistant materials can last for at least 72 hours in contact with flood water, and won’t show signs of significant damage. With these types of materials, you won’t require more than a simple cleaning or low-cost cosmetic repair. Some examples include concrete, glazed brick, pressure-treated and marine-grade plywood, water-resistant glue, and more. 

Seal and waterproof interiors

It’s also important to seal and waterproof areas of the house you know might be damaged in a flood. Dry floodproofing will prevent flood water from entering a space, and involve using coatings, sealants, and waterproof veneer. Coatings and sealants can also be applied to the foundation, windows, and doorways to prevent flood water from entering the main house. 

Grade your lawn away from your house

Another way to mitigate potential damage from flooding to your house is to grade the lawn away from your house. With a lawn tilting towards your house, it will cause rainwater to pool around the home and foundation. You should use a heavy soil with a high clay and sand content, to allow the surface runoff to empty into places like your street gutter.

At JT Engineering, our firm is the premier provider of innovative and economical building solutions for the construction industry. Our technical expertise, state-of-the-art computer software, and quality service are the building blocks of our firm. Contact us today and learn more about our other projects and how we can help.