![]() First, obtain any necessary permits you need for demolishing a house. If demolition turns out to be the best option, you should know what to expect in the process. So check your insurance policy to see what's covered before you make any rash decisions. Fortunately, flood insurance could cover at least some (or perhaps all) of the costs of demolition, elevating the home or floodproofing the structure under the Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage, which is designed to restore a home to regulation. This isn't to say that demolition comes cheap. The costs of complying with local regulations add to the benefits of demolition over repair. Other regulations may require that you raise your house higher off the ground and fill in the basement. Some local regulations won't let you repair the structure if damage exceeds half of the market value of your home. This is when tearing down a flooded home rather than repairing it might be more advantageous.Īlthough it's a difficult decision, you may not even have a choice. As you can imagine, replacement of such fundamentals is usually costly and difficult. If you see sagging ceilings and cracks in the basement or in foundation walls, they'll probably need to be replaced. Hydrodynamic loads, which result from floodwaters flowing against and around the house, can not only cause similar physical pressures, but can also inundate your house with silt and soil that can weaken the foundation. This causes hydrostatic loads that press toward the side of your house with the lower water level, causing walls and floors to collapse or crack. It could also happen if you pump out the water from your basement prematurely while the soil around it remains saturated with heavy floodwater. For instance, your home may retain water that gets swept away outside. When your house is flooded, renovation is complicated by the fact that the inside of your home can remain waterlogged while the water outside your home subsides. Even if your house isn't hit by impact loads, such as waves, floods can still impart lasting damage on your home. Considering all these factors, you can understand how it might be cheaper - and certainly safer - to tear down a flooded home. On top of all these precautions, structural damage in your home could call for significant repairs. This might mean adding waterproof seals, installing backflow valves in drains and getting shields for doors and windows. To protect against future flooding in a flood-prone area, you'll also need to floodproof your home during renovations. This is why experts advise disposing of things you suspect are contaminated. For instance, mattresses and wallboard can soak in contaminants that are almost impossible to get rid of. ![]() Other things in a flooded house are even more difficult to clean. ![]() But to make a flooded home safe enough to live in at all, you'll have to hose down all walls and hard floors using soap and water. Even tap water isn't safe immediately after a flood: You'll need to strain, boil and add bleach to tap water to decontaminate it.
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