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- Regularly check your roof for signs of damage, such as excessive wear on shingles or missing shingles.
- Seal your basement. Thick coatings, paint and silicate-based sealers may help minimize or prevent water damage. Each method varies in application and cost.
- Replace washing machine supply hoses. Plan for new ones every three to five years as part of a proactive maintenance plan.
- Add or update drainage. Use gutters and downspouts to make sure water is diverted away from your home and its foundation.
- Survey potential damage. Note the depth of the floodwaters in relation to your car. Avoid starting a flooded car — this will cause more damage if there is water in the engine.
- Act quickly. Submersion of a vehicle in salt water — which is more damaging than fresh water — makes the chances of corrosion much higher. Start drying out your vehicle as quickly as possible, and contact a towing service to get it back to higher ground. Oil, transmission fluid and lube may need draining before a tow.
- File a claim. Your insurance company along with a qualified mechanic will uncover how extensive the problems caused by flood damage may be.
- Consider where you place a portable generator.
- Your garage is not the ideal location for a generator. Portable generators should be placed outside and away from windows and doors so CO doesn’t enter your home.
- Give your generator adequate “breathing” room — leave at least three to four feet of space around the unit to ensure proper ventilation.
- Keep generators on dry, level ground outdoors. If you must use a generator in damp or wet conditions, protect the unit with a canopy. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also recommends using generators and extension cords with ground fault circuit interrupter protection in damp or wet conditions.
- Check out extension cords that might be used to connect an appliance to the generator. Be sure cords are grounded, and do not use cords if they are cracked, frayed or visibly damaged. Ensure extension cords are appropriately rated in watts or amps for the intended use.