House Lifting – A Viable Solution for Flood Prone Area

The massive flooding in the valleys of the Susquehanna River located in South Central NY in the fall of 2011 brought back memories of Hurricane Agnes that devastated many states including Pennsylvania back in 1972. The only difference was this one was much worse in terms of damage and destruction. Entire homes were swept away. Roads were torn apart as if they were made from putty. More than 400 trees fell in Philadelphia alone and as much as 12 inches of rain fell in most parts of the state. Homeowners living in areas that didn’t have levee protection were hit the worst. Massive evacuations were carried out especially in the areas around the Susquehanna and Delaware River. Hundreds of thousands of residents were without electricity, all of them fully exposed to rising flood water.

This brings up the question of how to fully protect a home from flooding. There are options available for people who want to relocate and those who want to remain in the same location by elevating their home.

The Dilemma for Home Owners Wanting To Relocate

Homeowners are naturally attached to their house and regard it as one of their most valuable assets. Additionally, homeowners develop sentimental emotions towards their home over time. This makes abandoning a home and moving to a new location all the more difficult. Moreover, going through the process of getting a new home financed or trying to sell a flood-prone house in an area such as Binghamton during a challenging housing market are all discouraging options for homeowners. Therefore elevating their homes in order to mitigate flood risk is a wise option. Moving a house is also a consideration from homeowners of historic or preserved homes that are unfortunately located in flood zones along the Susquehanna.

House Lifting as a Rising Alternative for Flood Prone Areas

House lifting can be a win-win solution for residents living in areas like Broome County, Binghamton and other flood prone areas, especially those who simply cannot relocate to another location for various personal and sentimental reasons. Raising a house above flood level gives it added protection from storms and cuts down on flood insurance. It entails elevating the entire physical structure either on stilts or on concrete foundations so that flood water can run underneath or through it, leaving your main living space untouched.

This seemingly impossible task is done with the help of steel beams, hydraulic jacks and a Unified Jacking System which keeps the house stable during the lift. Appliances such as HVAC and heat pumps can also be lifted to prevent them from getting damaged and to ensure that all house utilities are functioning as the flood water gushes below.

Wolfe Can Help Raise your Home above Flood Level

With over 40 years of hands-on experience under their belt, Wolfe House and Building Movers have established themselves as a trusted name in structural moving and lifting in the United States particularly along the East Coast in states such as Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and more. By utilizing an expert crew and the latest in house lifting equipment, Wolfe House Moving has become a reputable go-to source for all home elevation and relocation projects big or small. If you live in a flood prone area, you can count on them for a safe, insured, damage-free home lifting service carefully planned out to withstand even the fiercest of floods.

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