While the spring season is known for the return of sunshine and more pleasant weather, it is also known for heavy rainfall. With heavy rainfall, however, comes the threat of flooding.

No property owner wants to deal with water damage, but the harm done by flooding can be especially worrisome. The large volume of water means a greater amount of damage to your home or business. So, if your property is affected by flooding, then you will need to take care of flood cleanup and restoration work. The costs for such can add up, so it can be helpful to know when there is an impending flood.

Standard flooding can take place days after precipitation occurs. This often gives people enough time to prepare for the flood and the damage it can cause. Flash floods, on the other hand, work quickly. As such, there isn’t always time for people to respond.

You cannot stop Mother Nature from bringing rain showers and storms, but there are warning signs you can look out for to help you prepare for a potential flood.

Continue reading to learn more about flooding, how to know if there is an impending flood, and what to do if a flood affects your property.

1. Educate Yourself on Flooding

When you know about flash floods and how they occur, you put yourself in a better position to prepare for them.

Flash floods are floods that happen as a result of excessive rainfall within a short amount of time. The rain accumulation happens so quickly that the ground cannot absorb the moisture fast enough.

They are known to happen in places where the drainage area is less than 20 square miles. Examples include canyons and dry riverbeds. If you reside or work in a place with a smaller drainage area, then be aware of the potential threat of flash flooding. Flash floods can happen in as little as one minute of rainfall or as long as six hours after its start.

While flash floods are often associated with rainfall, they can also happen as a result of a broken dam or levee spilling water into an area.

2. Stay Alert and Informed

In the same way people check the weather so that they know how to dress for the day, you should stay tuned in to the news and weather service so that you can prepare for potential weather-related disasters. This will help you be prepared for potential flooding.

In the event of an impending flood, the National Weather Service will issue either a flood watch or flood warning depending on what is happening outside, but it’s important to know the difference between the two.

A flood watch is issued when weather conditions favor flooding, but this does not guarantee flooding will occur. In the event of a flood watch, you should remain prepared. On the other hand, a flood warning is issued when flooding is either forthcoming or already happening. In the case of a flood warning, people need to act immediately and seek higher ground.

The National Weather Service may also issue a flood alert when flooding is expected but not bad enough to issue a flood warning.

3. Things to Look Out For

Obviously, flood watches and warnings are crucial things to keep an eye out for when there is concern about an impending flood. But pay attention to whether the warning is for a standard flood or a flash flood. Standard floods are known to last longer than flash floods.

If a flood watch is issued, stay alert for further information and be prepared for flooding.

The following are signs to watch for regarding flash flooding in your area:

• Excessive rainfall within a short amount of time
• Early snow melting
• Slow storms, including tropical storms and hurricanes
• Dam or levee failure

Professional Flood Restoration Help

If your residential or commercial property has been affected by a flood, then do not hesitate to address the damage as soon as it is safe to do so. Seek help for the essential flood cleanup and restoration work that you need for your building. Emergency water damage restoration professionals are available to help you with flood restoration in the aftermath of a disaster.

Water restoration professionals have the knowledge, training, and equipment to effectively clean and restore homes and buildings that have sustained water damage, including harm done by a flood. Professional technicians will extract excess water and moisture and use specialized equipment to thoroughly dry your property. From there, restoration and repair work can be done, and any mold that has grown in response to the flooding will be addressed.

With help from professional water damage restoration services, your home or businesses will be thoroughly repaired and safe to return to following a flood.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.