Should You Worry If You Are Buying in a Flood-Prone Area?
Flood prone areas are those that are flat areas surrounding a large body of water. Brisbane is an example of a flood prone area because the city is built around the Brisbane River, which is prone flooding during storm surges and other severe weather events.
Because Queensland is a tropical region, it can also be prone to cyclones which bring heavy rain with them. Often, the question of whether you should or shouldn’t buy in a flood prone area can be a moot point if you are prepared and take precautions to prevent your home from suffering the ill effects that may occur due to flooding.
As we will discuss, the risk of living or buying a home in a flood prone area can be mitigated by taking some precautions.
Know Where You Stand
The first question is to find out if you are buying into a flood prone area. This can be found from looking at the flood maps, council records and reading up on the history of the area.
The local city council of your area will have records of all the major flood events that have happened in the area, for you to gauge how often there has been flooding, and how severe it was.
What Risks Do Floods Bring?
Flooding can cause a lot of damage to people, homes and infrastructure. Excess water can completely destroy homes, or it can lead to long term issues such as mould, wood rot, rust, bacteria and more.
Usually when there is too much water in the ground it can affect the sewerage pipes, which can cause unpleasant surges of faeces to come up through the ground and invade homes.
How to Work with a Flood Prone Home
Whether you have already purchased and discovered later that it is in a flood zone, or still want to go ahead and buy the home despite the obvious risks, there are ways of being prepared.
One of the best ways of working with your flood prone home is to have it raised above the flood waters. This would mean that you employ a company such as Black & White Houseraising & Restumping to assist you with lifting the house up and creating space between you and the surging flood waters.
Not only would you ensure that the house is kept high and dry, but you would have the advantage of extra space underneath for a rumpus room or other area for the family to enjoy together.
Another way of ensuring that the flood waters do not pose a problem for you is to keep low laying areas of the home free of items that would be damaged by water. This might mean having the downstairs flooring made of material that can withstand water, installing exterior electrical items above ground level, and having insurance that covers you for flooding.
There are ways of working with the ebb and flow of nature, and it is all about preparation and forward thinking.