Everyone knows that it’s hurricane season in Texas right now, and with hurricanes comes flooding. But did you know that floods can happen at any time of the year?
Because many different factors can trigger floods, it’s a year-round risk. Here are some of the most common causes:
Spring Thaw
Spring flooding can occur when the winter weather begins to warm up and melt the previously-frozen ground, where water would collect but not seep into the ground. Each cubic foot of compacted snow contains gallons of water, so when the weather starts to melt the ground, bodies of water such as lakes and rivers can overflow easily, resulting in flood damage.
Tropical Storms and Hurricanes
Hurricanes cause massive rainfall which turn into floods hundreds of miles inland. Hurricanes can also weaken and turn into tropical storms, creating heavy rainfall and floods that can be very dangerous since there was already flooding from the previous part of the hurricane.
Levees and Dams
The point of dams and levees is to prevent flooding; however, there is danger of flooding because of them, too. Levees and dams can deteriorate over time, can be overtopped, or can even completely fail during serious flooding, creating more damage than if the levee wasn’t even there. If you live near a levee or dam – especially an old one – flood insurance is an absolute must.
Heavy Rains
It doesn’t have to be an all-out hurricane or big tropical storm to cause severe flood damage. It can simply be a lot of rain. Some of the worst flood damage to homes occurs when relentless, heavy rain continues for a couple of days.
Flash Floods
Did you know that flash floods are the #1 weather-related killer in the U.S.? This is because flash floods can roll boulders, rip up trees, and destroy buildings and bridges. A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas in less than six hours, which is caused by intense rainfall from a storm.
New Development
Noise and roadblocks aren’t the only problems that come with construction – flooding can come along with it, too. Development and construction can alter the natural drainage and cause brand new flood risks, since new buildings, parking lots, and roads mean less land to absorb excess precipitation from rain and storms.
Flood damage is never fun and can cause many problems, but at least you can prepare for it. At Dagley Insurance, we offer standard flood coverage and preferred risk flood coverage to meet your specific needs. Why not visit our site to get a free flood insurance quote today? We’ll be happy to help!