We’re now recommending our clients purchase supplemental flood insurance, even if their home is not located in a flood zone. Central Texas weather is getting more unpredictable. This extra layer of insurance will give you peace of mind. 

The May downpour made me grateful for the supplemental flood insurance I’ve carried for years, even though our home isn’t in a flood zone. Sandy used to think it was overkill—but with today’s unpredictable weather, that extra protection brings real peace of mind. Now he and I are on the same page.😉 You just never know when the next storm will hit Central Texas.

Most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover water damage to your home that comes from rising waters outside the house like we saw in May. (However, if you purchased a home in a flood zone, your mortgage company requires flood insurance.) 

So, I’m recommending all my clients purchase supplemental flood insurance to secure peace of mind. Freak Texas storms seem to be happening more and more, making this worthwhile. 

• Supplemental flood insurance should cost less than $1K per year.
• Repairs are costly and time consuming: One inch of water flooding your home can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Think about having to replace your floors, rugs, furniture, appliances, and whatever else is near the floor. 
• Visit the National Flood Insurance Program’s website for more information. Your insurance carrier can give you a quote for this government program and private insurers as well. 
• Assess your home’s flood risk at https://maps.austintexas.gov/floodpro/.

May flooding in Central Texas left trees overturned and broken.

What to do if your home floods:

• Call your insurance company immediately. They will recommend specific remediators who will help start the drying out process.
• TIP: Skip the door-knocker salespeople! Call me for trusted local pros.

If you’re building or remodeling your home, consider adding these safeguards:

• Install a tub under your kitchen sink with a drain to catch leaks.🪣
• Add drains in the utility room floor to redirect any washing machine overflow.🚰
• Install water sensors/alarms to detect leaks.🔔
• New product: Use cement board instead of sheetrock for better water resistance.🧱
• Swap wood baseboards for PVC ones, which won’t absorb water and won’t rot.🪵

Trees were uprooted and many fell through roofs.

What else?

1. Keep those gutters cleaned out – at the roofline AND all the way down to the gutter. Make sure that nothing is blocking the gutter midstream. 
2. Consider this: where does the gutter end? In a French Drain? Make sure the French drain isn’t filled with debris.
3. Are there holes in your gutters? If so, get them fixed. 
4. Do you have splash pads at the base of all your gutters? They help redirect water away from your home. 

Leave your 3 inches of foundation showing (correct example on left, incorrect example on right)

Prep now for (even theoretical) flooding:

Water is good for bathing and drinking, and the occasional load of laundry. It’s also our enemy. 

• Get your things off the floor! Papers, tax returns, photos – are they stored in boxes? Scrap cardboard banker boxes and move your documents and memories into plastic containers.
• Buy a Jackery: This handy battery can power fans, charge phones and more during a power outage.
• Protect your home’s walls: There should always be a minimum of 3” of foundation showing below your home’s brick or siding (as shown above). This keeps moisture (and bugs, like termites) away from your home. Remember to remove old mulch and soil that might have built up overtime to keep that distance intact!

These days, it seems like there’s no middle ground in Central Texas: we’re either parched or drowning. 

We’ve got your back! Call me or any of us with questions.