When buying a home, condo, or property, insurance companies will mention the importance of flood insurance. Even in low-risk areas, floods can occur and leave homeowners with huge repair costs because standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flood damage.

At Staples & Associates, we’re here to help you prepare and protect your home in the instance of flood or water damage. There are many causes of flooding that are both natural and manmade. Check out some of the common causes below.

3 Common Causes of Home Floods

1. Inclement Weather

The most obvious cause of flooding is heavy rains. Heavy rain can overwhelm modern drainage systems and cause other areas, like rivers to overflow. Often, this heavy rain is caused by a storm surge. Luckily, with modern technology, we are often able to predict and prepare for flooding caused by inclement weather.

2. Faulty Infrastructure

Dams, drainage basins, and storm drains are just some of the infrastructure used to prevent flooding and distribute water. Since a lot of these systems in the United States were built in the 20th century, it makes sense that they can fail even with proper maintenance. When these systems are overloaded, the water rises and has no place to go except unsuspecting homes.

3. Location

The location of your home can highly influence your risk of experiencing a flood. For example, close proximity to large bodies of water, or bodies of water that have channels with steep sides. Another issue that leads to floods is a lack of vegetation nearby your home to slow runoff.

Don’t wait until it’s too late! Work with trusted insurance agents like the ones at Staples & Associates to assess your flood risk and determine which property insurance coverage is right for you. Contact us today and request a customized quote!