Protecting your property from the hazard

Protection Methods

There are several ways to protect your building from flood damage. Elevation of the structure is a method to permanently retrofit your home from damage. One way is to keep water away by re-grading your lot or by constructing a small floodwall or earthen berm. These methods work if your lot is large enough, if flooding is not too deep, and if you property is not in a floodway. Another approach is to make your walls waterproof and to place watertight closures over the doorways. This method is not recommended for houses with basements or if water will get over two feet deep. "Wet flood proofing" to modify the structure and relocate the contents is also helpful; so that when floodwaters enter the building there is little or no damage.

It is always advisable to take the following emergency actions around your property.

  • Sandbag to reduce erosion and scouring.
  • Elevate furniture above flood protection levels.
  • Create floodway openings in non-habitable areas such as garage doors.
  • Seal off sewer lines to the dwelling to prevent backflow of sewer waters.
  • Turn off all the utilities at the main power breaker and shut off the main gas valve if you are evacuating.
  • Keep a battery powered radio tuned to a local station and follow any emergency instructions.
  • Secure or tie down any outdoor items, such as grills, furniture and trash cans

For property protection or retrofitting advice, please contact the city's Utilities Department.

Additional Resources on Property Protection

  • Protecting Building Utilities from Flood Damage
  • FEMA 6 Ways to Protect Your Home, A Homeowners Guide to Retrofitting FEMA Resources

DRAINAGE SYSTEM MAINTENANCE

  • A community can lose a portion of its drainage system carrying or storage capacity due to dumping, debris, soil erosion, sedimentation and overgrowth of vegetation. When this happens, flooding occurs more frequently and reaches higher elevations, subjecting otherwise protected properties to unnecessary risk of damage. The City of Daytona Beach Utilities Department makes inspections and maintains all city-owned ditches, canals and storm drain pipes and inlets. You can help the city with its drainage system maintenance and protect your property by following these measures:
  • Do not dump or throw anything into the ditches, canals or storm drains. Dumping in ditches, canals or storm drains is a violation of City of Daytona Beach Code of Ordinances and the Land Development Code. Even grass clippings and branches can accumulate and block stormwater flow. A plugged ditch or canal cannot carry water and when it rains, the water needs to go somewhere. Every piece of grass or trash contributes to flooding.
  • If your property is next to a ditch or canal, please do your part and keep the banks clear of brush and debris. The city has a ditch and canal maintenance program that can help remove major blockages such as downed trees.
  • If your property is near curb and ditch bottom inlets keep them clear of grass clippings, leaves, brush and debris. Storing on top or near these inlets or blowing the trimmings into the streets and gutters contributes to plugging the storm drains.
  • If you illegal dumping into the stormwater drainage system, contact utilities dispatch at (386) 671-8815 or by email. Please provide the location, type of material being dumped and a license plate number if available. Do not try to approach the offender.