It’s been a wet Spring in Northeast Ohio, and Summer has brought its fair share of rain showers so far. In fact, Ohio’s unusually rainy Spring may be the wettest on record in 120 years!

While we hope warmer, drier weather is around the corner, it looks like the early weeks of Summer promise even more rain.

So, what does that mean for you?

Besides being stuck indoors, there’s a high risk for flash flooding for many cities in the greater Cleveland area. If you’re a homeowner in the region, this is the right time to prepare you home for potential floods this year.

Below are four ways you can keep your family, pets and house safe.

Elevate Your Electronics

Water and electricity do not mix!

If you use surge protectors or have a lot of wiring in any space like a family room or game room, try to move electrical items off the ground.

When flooding hits a home, keeping electronics elevated can prevent damaged property and reduce the number of hazards around cleanup.

Pro tip: If you get a flood warning for your neighborhood, you’ll want to move electronics six to twelve inches above the predicted flood levels.

Clear the Basement

If your home has a basement, you should take some time to move any valuables to higher levels of the home. You may also want to consider installing a sump pump this year!

Watch for Flood Alerts

While flash flood warnings aren’t new to the Northeast Ohio region, incidents of flooding have been pretty isolated in the past. That means many local homeowners may not pay close attention to weather alerts that include flood warnings.

Don’t ignore warnings.

The risk of flooding is a lot higher and more widespread this year, so take every warning seriously. Start flood-proofing your home as soon as you hear an alert!

Make an Emergency Kit

When flooding gets bad, there’s a chance the power will go out or worse — you could get trapped inside for a while. Having an emergency kit ready could be a lifesaver.

Here are some essentials you should have in your emergency kit:

·      Battery-powered flashlights

·      Emergency phone with a charger

·      Prescription medication

·      Copies of important documents (i.e. insurance)

Also, if you know a storm is on its way, you’ll want to stock up on water bottles and non-perishable food.