Prevention however is better than cure and it is better to prevent your home from being damaged by snow or ice. Here are some steps that you can adhere to:

1. Clear the roof off any trace of snow- A homeowner should make this a priority; this can ensure that you are free from snow damage. Ice that is left to accumulate can cause the roof to collapse, damage the floors, walls, ceilings, furniture and appliances in the home. So, it is better to get in touch with a professional roofing consultant who can clear the roof off the snow and also reinforce it better.
2. Increase ventilation in the attic: It is important to have the temperature indoor close to the outdoor temperature. This means proper ventilation is important, otherwise the warm air inside can thaw the snow on the roof and cause ice dams.
3. Keep the drains and gutters clean= Make sure that you keep the gutters and drains clean. A proper systematic way in which you can drain the melted snow from the roof is important to prevent snow damage and ice dams. Do not allow the snow to collect in the gutters, because they can move through the roofing material and cause damage to the interiors of the house.
4. You should also remove snow and ice from doors and windows, do not let them collect at the entrance. If the water comes into the house, fix the sealants.
5. The pipes should not be allowed to be frozen. You can do this by letting the hot and cold faucets drip during the night
6. Make sure that snow, ice and other debris do not cover or fall on the air vents, exhaust pipes etc. Also, remove the tree branches that are covered with snow and close to your home.

Floods are caused by excessive rainfall, breakage of dams, excessive snowmelt and storm surge from hurricanes. Europe suffered from more than 100 instances of flooding between the years 1998 and 2004. In the last decade, there have been 15 instances of flooding, the 2005 Hurricane Katrina which caused intense damage to life and property. In 2009, the flash floods in Turkey claimed 31 lives and destroyed $70 million property and the Philippines floods in the same year, destroyed 464 lives.

Though we call it a natural disaster, man is responsible in some way or the other for this colossal problem. There is a rising consensus that sticks to the fact that major reasons for floods are actually deforestation and pollution. For instance, in parts of Asia and Africa, there Is large scale deforestation which paves the way for flooding to take place. In China, El Nino was blamed for causing flooding in 1998 that led to the loss of 250 million people but the real reason discovered was man-made action in the form of callous regard to environmental preservation.

It is true that urbanization happening at break-neck speed in various places in the world has led to a concrete jungle-like situation, wherein there are not enough plants and trees to retain water. There are various ways in which we can prevent floods. We need to make way for a route so that the water is drained properly. This can happen by creating flood plains and winding streams. The protection of wetlands can help maintain a natural drainage system that can augur well as a place where excess water can accumulate. These wetlands can make it easy for water to evaporate before it can accumulate.

Since water levels have changed over the years, it is important to make use of levees or ‘dikes’ to keep water bookies from overflowing its banks. Levees, used since ages, are simple man-made embankments that keep a river or ocean from flooding. These embankments are made of soil and are very effective to prevent water damage.
The other way you can prevent floods is by keeping sandbags along the riverbank to act as levees and placing huge rocks and boulders to prevent erosion. This can definitely help in preventing riverbanks from deteriorating,
You can also do a few things to minimize the damage caused by floods. You should ideally make sure that you take care of three crucial things like water, gas and electricity. Remember to turn off the main switches and controls of these three things. Make sure you are aware of the controls beforehand so that if you are confronted with such a situation, you are in a position to save lives.

The first step in dealing with water damage is obviously getting rid of the water. The method for doing this depends on how much water is there in the first place. Small amounts of water on tiles can be removed with paper towels or a mop. If the floor is covered with carpet though, one will have to consider whether to attempt to dry it or just have it replaced. Soaked carpets can be dried by using a vacuum to suction out the majority of the water and then placing large fans to air dry the rest. In the case of large scale flooding though, it is better to throw it out for hygiene purposes.
It might be tempting to use heat to dry wet surfaces. Well, this will undoubtedly work but it will also leave the door open for some very nasty things such as mildew and mold. One should try to remove water as quickly as possible since the longer the area remains the wet, the greater the possibility of having mold grow. This can lead to some very unpleasant smells and, in the case of black mold, some serious health consequences. Of course, if the whole neighborhood is under water one will have to resign oneself to a long wait before repair work can begin.

Water damage can also affect one’s personal belongings. In most cases of small leaks, possessions can simply be taken outside and allowed to air dry. One can even use a hair dryer, but be sure to use a low heat setting. One has to be aware though that water can cause irreparable damage to some items so valuables should always be stored in a waterproof container. Mitigating the effects of water damage depends on getting as much moisture out in the shortest time possible. It is also dependent upon doing repairs to leaking pipes etc. as quickly and as efficiently as is feasible.