HELP!! PLEASE HELP!!what can I do if my house is flooded?

Question

It's monsoon season in west texas!Our house used to be my dad's workshop,it was built on a slope(everything flows downhill toward the draw)and there is a step going from the kitchen to the livingroom that is not very well blocked off to the underneath of the house.We have recieved 4 inches of rain in a 24 hr period, and my livingroom had two inches of standing water.The rain has stopped for now,my kids and I have swept most of the water out and placed fans around the living room,but I'm afraid it will start flooding again before my husband gets home from work.The phone is out,so I am unable to contact him.I have sent an e-mail to my dad,but am unsure if he will check his mail.I have also walked to all the nearest neighbors,but no one is home and even if they were,I doubt their phones work either.It is not a crisis level situation,but I am pretty darned scared.What is my best course of action?Someone please repond and help me!!

well, I found some flat pieces of metal and pounded them into the ground at the places where most of the water was coming in, and I also did the trench idea, and long term I will probably make a retaining wall. I had to "defend the fort" as we do not have insurance, and I was stranded because my van wouldn't start that morning. I've got all the clothes, pillows, etc that got wet out on the line, the house is now dry, and I'm going to start on the cleaning when I get home. Thank you everyone for your concern. Alls well that ends well...

Answer 1

Probablly the easiest solution is to create a diversion channel (ditch) to divert the water away from the underside of the house. Remove soil from edges of the house and foundation so the the water flows out and away and down to the draw. Do make sure that all electrical appliances, cords, fixtures are either unplugged or the circuits secured..........
Remember water is going to follow the lowest level and will flow toward the easiest point to go to lower points........Don't Panic........you can not think clearly when you panic.......

Answer 2

the advice already given is good advice, you will have to turn off the power for safety sake,
i think for the long term you need to be building a retaining wall that has a substantial foundatiion with a good size surface drain underneath it,the wall should be slightly angular similar to a boat at the front, this will force any water round the wall and aaway past your house, sanbags are the next best thing and work really well for most surface floods but are useless for major typhoon type floods..
good luck

Answer 3

First thing is turn the electricity off before someone get killed. If your on high enough ground that you not endangering your life, stay home and try to block the water from entering while getting any existing water out. If it gets to be to much head to higher ground before it gets to late. Keep a watchfull eye on the conditions outside.

Answer 4

All that they said, and I hope this thing dries out soon. I think your re-routing of the water was smart, but be careful where the fans are placed so as not to get electrocuted.
I'm sorry Texas is so screwed up lately. We aren't out of the drought situation yet.
Good luck...let us know how this comes out!

Answer 5

HELL NO! I fairly have one chick who lives lower than me that in the time of no way says something and is slightly residing domicile 3 days of the month...then next to her is a lower than the end results of alcohol couple who're finished morons...then next to me I fairly have a terrorist. So the answer isn't any.

Answer 6

Turn off the electricity! Yes, the computer too! Get your kids out of there and call your insurance company. Good luck.

Answer 7

Turn off the power, move valuables of the ground.
Get in the car, and go elsewhere until you can get help.
Call the insurance.

Answer 8

What da otha answers say.