Once upon a time, science was deemed to be reliable. Today, some people choose to believe that scientific observations are debatable. Whichever camp you’re on, one thing is for certain: The 2017 hurricane season brought with it a chain of some of the biggest hurricanes in history. Even when you compare some of the most devastating storms from the past, such as Andrew in 1992, with Harvey this past year, you’ll see that the new ones are massive. And after Harvey, we got Irma, then José, then Katia, then Lee, then María, then Nate. It was a never ending circle that caused destruction in Houston, Florida, and the Caribbean (five months out, and there are still many people in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with no electric power… five months).
There are several reasons given for this: The warmer the air, the more moisture it holds. According to NASA, “tropical cyclones are like giant engines that use warm, moist air as fuel.” And ocean waters have become unusually warm, especially within the Gulf of Mexico.
The Damage Goes Beyond Structural
No matter how often we tell ourselves that material items can be replaced, the damage caused by natural disasters and floods goes beyond structural damage. Losing a home, or family heirlooms with sentimental value, or just the sheer heartbreak of going through the disaster and then seeing it take away someone’s entire world can be devastating.
From PTSD to depression, the mental toll is real. So this shouldn’t be a topic that we get to talk about once a year during hurricane season. Every homeowner should know exactly how high their risk of being impacted may be.
How Does This Affect You?
For starters, the obvious reason being that if you live near a body of water, your home could be damaged or potentially destroyed. If that’s the case, you are already aware of the dangers. But what happens if you live in a neighborhood that has never flooded and isn’t anywhere near water? What if you are paying for flood insurance right now only because your mortgage lender required you to get a policy before approving your loan? Did you know that there are ways to appeal that decision? You can do so in a responsible way; e.g. by actually having your home inspected to determine whether you’re really in any danger, or if you’re in a safe zone.
To find out in which category your property is located, call us. At National Flood Experts, we’ll do a free evaluation for you. Not only would you save money on flood insurance if it turns out you’re in a low-risk flood zone, but you could also get monies already paid reimbursed. Contact us, and let’s talk.