It doesn’t take a hurricane to wreck your home — sometimes just a few hours of rain and the wrong street layout can do it.
The worst part? Most people don’t realize they live in a flood trap until the water’s already creeping under the door.
But there are clues.
Simple things you can check before the next big storm rolls in — things that could save your floors, your car, and thousands in repairs.
1️⃣ Your Street Sits at the Bottom of a Bowl
Stand at the edge of your driveway and take a hard look around. Are you lower than the intersections on either side? Do nearby streets slope down toward yours?
That’s a problem. Streets shaped like bowls collect water fast. Once the drains fill up — or get blocked — the water has nowhere to go except toward the lowest point. That might be your front door.
Things to look for:
- Pooling water after short rainstorms
- Heavy puddles near storm drains
- A cul-de-sac or dead-end layout with no slope for water to escape
- Higher neighborhoods nearby that drain toward your block
Real example:
In Baton Rouge, a quiet cul-de-sac flooded three times in one year — not from rivers or storms, but from newer developments up the hill redirecting runoff downhill. Every time it rained hard, the water shot down the slope and turned their street into a shallow pond.
What to do:
- Ask long-time neighbors what the worst storm looked like
- Photograph puddles during the next rainfall
- Look into water diversion tools like driveway flood barriers or sandless water bags
- Don’t assume flood insurance isn’t needed just because it hasn’t happened yet
2️⃣ Your Storm Drains Can’t Keep Up
You’ve probably seen them — the metal grates at the curb meant to whisk water away before it rises too high. But here’s the truth: not all storm drains are created equal, and many neighborhoods have drains that are outdated, undersized, or just plain neglected.
If your street floods fast during even light rain, it’s often a sign that the drainage system can’t keep up with volume or is getting blocked by debris.
What to look for:
- Drains that are slow to clear even after light rain
- Trash, leaves, or silt collecting around the grates
- Water bubbling up from manholes or flowing over the curb
- A visible slope toward a single low-point drain (bad design)
Real example:
In Houston, one homeowner noticed the water always backed up at the corner of their street — not realizing the city drain near their driveway was partially clogged with roots and debris. By the time they called it in, a thunderstorm hit and they were pulling rugs out of the foyer with a wet vac.
What to do:
- During a storm, check how quickly water moves toward and through the drain
- Report slow or clogged drains to your city or parish early — before hurricane season
- Use sandbags or water diverters if you’re near a slow drain and rain is coming
Even good streets flood when the water has nowhere to go. If your drains aren’t ready, your house becomes the backup plan.
3️⃣ Your Neighborhood Was Built Before Modern Flood Codes
If your home was built decades ago, especially before the 1980s, chances are it wasn’t designed with today’s flood risks in mind. Older subdivisions often lack proper grading, retention ponds, or drainage systems — because back then, no one expected the kind of flash flooding we see now.
And as newer developments pop up nearby, they can quietly redirect runoff toward older neighborhoods that weren’t designed to handle the overflow.
What to look for:
- Homes built before 1985
- Flat yards with no clear drainage slope
- No retention basins or visible drainage infrastructure nearby
- Newer subdivisions uphill or upstream from yours
Real example:
A family in Slidell, Louisiana bought a charming brick home in an older neighborhood. It had never flooded — until two new commercial buildings went up behind them with concrete lots and zero green space. Suddenly, even short storms sent water streaming through their backyard and under the back door.
What to do:
- Look up your home’s elevation and nearby land grading using FEMA flood maps
- Walk your block during the next storm and observe how water flows
- Consider low-cost grading work to redirect water away from your structure
- Don’t rely on the past — building codes and runoff patterns have changed
✅ Know Before the Next Storm
Flooding doesn’t always come from rivers, storms, or news headlines — sometimes, it creeps up from your own street.
If your home sits in a bowl, your drains can’t keep up, or your neighborhood is stuck in the past, you’re more vulnerable than you think.
But knowledge is power. Walk your block. Watch the water. Talk to neighbors. Small moves — like adjusting landscaping or calling in a city crew — can make a huge difference before the next big rain.
It’s your street, your home, and your call — just make it before the water shows up.
