Words such as tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides, earthquakes, tornadoes and flooding are being heard in all corners of the world. These are all side effects of erratic weather patterns as a result of global warming. Floods often occur with some of these catastrophes, resulting in millions of people losing their lives and their possessions. But you can put up strong resistance to flooding with flood control barriers.

There are a variety of aluminum flood shields that can protect the most vulnerable parts of your home. But before you call contractor, you need to find out certain information from your local authority. You need to establish if your house is situated in a high-risk flood area, especially if you live near a river, lake or on the beachfront. Areas where flooding has occurred in the past are categorized as Special Flood Hazard Areas.

Suppliers and fitters of shielding will need to know what ‘base flood elevation’ is applicable in the area where you live. This information is needed to establish what type of materials and how strong the protective shields should be. Once this is known, the shields can be installed.

The most common materials used in the making of flood shields are lightweight aluminum and glass. Glass panels are glazed and put through stringent testing to guarantee certain levels of resistance against flooding waters. You must ensure that the company you use to install the shields uses products that meet the requirements of your local authority and your insurance company.

Girders are used to reinforce aluminum before protective shields can be assembled. With this extra strength, the shield is welded and tightly waterproofed. As with glass shields, the aluminum ones also need to pass a number of stringent tests to meet industrial regulations.

Other types of flood shields include the ‘lift out’ type which is a cost-effective method of protecting against flood waters. These can be installed permanently if desired, but that would be defeating the objective which is to take them out when there is no imminent danger of flooding. Sliding shields are also another practical option. The sliding mechanism enables them to be quickly placed in position when needed.

When a patio has accumulated a lot of water after a heavy downpour, a barrier shield will protect all the treasured possessions in your house. Easy to set up and just as easy to remove, the barrier shield is very effective. It can withstand over 1 ft of water pressure. You can choose either a 10 inch height or a 20 inch height.

Since doors are particularly vulnerable during floods, it is advisable to place door shields on all doors that are in danger of being hit by flooding. What’s the point of having shields in other areas of your home if your doors are in danger of collapsing? Door shields can be fitted in a few minutes and you don’t need any tools to do it. These shields will protect against flood waters up to 3 to 4 feet.

As the old saying goes, “Don’t wait until the horse has bolted” before you protect your family and your home against flood damage with flood barriers. Floods can strike anywhere when least expected. Go online now and look for flood panels.