RainReady℠ Homeowner Guidance

Whether you’re suffering from two feet of water in your basement or a parched or soggy lawn, there are simple, well-tested solutions available to homeowners.

Actions Homeowners Should Consider

Learn how to provide significant flood relief at relatively modest cost and effort.
Download PDF of this checklist

  1. Assess your property.
    Carrying out an assessment can be as simple as walking around your property to understand the flow of water during a rainstorm, but it may require the skilled eye of a professional.
    Get a flood risk assessment through RainReady Home.
  2. Make yard improvements.
    Your yard offers many quick and affordable ways to manage water, keeping it in places you need it and away from places you don’t.
    Learn more
  3. Manage water within your home.
    There is a growing number of appliances and smart technologies to help you efficiently manage water in your home.
    Learn more
  4. Have your building sewers checked.
    If the sewer line originating from inside your building is broken or leaky, it can cause wastewater to backup into your home or those of your neighbors.
    Learn more
  5. Reclaim your parkway.
    The strips between sidewalks and streets can be transformed into attractive green spaces that absorb stormwater runoff, reduce municipal maintenance costs, and beautify streets.
    Learn more
  6. Get insured.
    There are several options available to protect you against the risk of water damage, including home insurance policies, homeowner riders, and the National Flood Insurance Program.
    Learn more
  7. Be a wise home buyer and seller.
    Before you purchase a home, check for signs of subsidence or flooding in the house or neighborhood. Before you sell a home, disclose any damage to avoid future litigation.
    Learn more
  8. Expect and prepare for extreme weather.
    Even if you live in an area prone to drought, you may be affected by flooding. There are simple steps you can take before, during, and after a storm to mitigate its financial and emotional impact.
    Learn more
  9. Advocate for a RainReady community plan.
    Although homeowners can make significant improvements on their own, many communities need to establish a RainReady plan of action to address their serious water-management problems.
    Learn more

Whatever approach you take to rain readiness, keep in mind how the maintenance of your property affects others. The irrigation of your lawn, the runoff from your property, the condition of your sewer pipes, and the type of home appliances you have can exacerbate your neighborhood problems. In other words, good water management means being a good neighbor.

CNT offers presentations and technical assistance to communities interested in developing a RainReady plan.  Click here to learn how to get started with RainReady today.

“There are many actions that residents can take to address the challenges of storm water. RainReady, building off of the Sustainable Backyards program, will be a one stop shop of solutions that will strengthen homes and neighborhoods.”

 
Karen Weigert
Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Chicago