Property Protection Measures

Every year, flooding in the United States causes more property damage than any other type of natural disaster. While recent improvements in construction practices and regulations have made new homes less prone to flood damage, there are significant number of existing homes susceptible to flood losses. The flooding to these properties can minimized through temporary and permanent retrofitting techniques such as:

  • Construction a floodwall or earthen berm to keep water away from your house. These methods area accepted if you have a large lot, if the flooding isn't too deep and if your property is not in the floodway
  • Waterproofing your walls and placing watertight closures over the doorways. This method should be used on homes with basements, or if the water will not get over two feet deep
  • Raise your house above the flood level

Helpful Documents

  1. Answers to Questions About the National Flood Insurance Program F-084 (2022) (PDF)
  2. Elevated Residential Structures, FEMA-54 (1984) (PDF)
  3. Flood Mitigation Assistance Individual Flood Mitigation Projects (PDF) (PDF)
  4. Mitigation of Flood and Erosion Damage to Residential Buildings in Coastal Areas, FEMA-257 (1994) (PDF)
  5. Protecting Building Utilities From Flood Damages, FEMA P-348 (1999) (PDF)
  6. Protecting Floodplain Resources, FEMA-268 (1996) (PDF)
  7. Protecting Manufactured Homes from Floods and Other Hazards, FEMA P-85 (2009) (PDF)
  8. Reducing Damage from Localized Flooding, FEMA 511 (2005) (PDF)