If your home is in an area that’s prone to flooding, or even if you think there might be a slight chance of flooding, knowing how to best prepare your home is essential.
Here’s how to get started so you can limit the damage water ingress may have on your home.
Do you know where your electrical wiring is? For many of us, it’s not immediately obvious. Traditionally, in some homes wiring is run low in the home, in wall cavities and in the floor. However, when you live in a natural disaster-prone state like Queensland, this can lead to serious problems as it’s vulnerable to water that might get into the home.
To boost resilience, in One House we placed wiring in the roof rather than the floor. This leads to powerpoints and switches, also hotspots for danger, being set at least 1-1.2-metres above ground level. By having it in the roof, it’s more shielded from the elements and therefore a more resilient system.
For Queenslanders in a two-storey (or more) home, having a separate electrical circuit for each storey means you can still retain power in one area, even if it is lost in another spot.
A rooftop solar array is another option to deliver consistent power, both for general power and when weather conditions have compromised or cut off your electricity. This would require consideration of service continuance, including a battery and an independent inverter that is above flood level.
When a serious storm is on the way, it’s a good idea to move appliances to the highest position possible, at least 1.2-metres above ground level. The ability to be adaptable and move appliances before a storm is why many modern homes are opting for free-standing appliances.
If you’re building or renovating, consider the placement of your appliances and the trade-offs between freestanding and built-in appliances. If your appliances are built in and you’re not able to unplug them, they’ll be vulnerable to damage from water. The same goes for furniture, and removable or water-resistant cabinetry should be considered.
Taking these steps should make storm preparation easier and can help keep your home resilient against unpredictable weather.
For more information, there are guidelines from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) for flood and cyclone resilient building guidance.
The information is intended to be of a general nature only. Subject to any rights you may have under any law, we do not accept any legal responsibility for any loss or damage, including loss of business or profits or any other indirect loss, incurred as a result of reliance upon it – please make your own enquiries.
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From the simple to the complex, see which upgrades can help better protect your home.
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Insurance is issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 (AAI) trading as Suncorp Insurance. Please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before buying any insurance products. The Target Market Determination is also available. The information is intended to be of a general nature only. Subject to any rights you may have under any law, we do not accept any legal responsibility for any loss or damage, including loss of business or profits or any other indirect loss, incurred as a result of reliance upon it – please make your own enquiries.
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