Be Prepared To Face The Floods

The break in the recent summer sunshine and ominous predictions for flash flooding bring to mind the terrible damage caused by the floods of earlier this year. January 2014 saw some parts of the country experience the wettest weather since records began in 1910.

Of the 28 million homes in the UK, over 5 million are prone to flooding – or one in six in England alone. But around 40% of these householders are blissfully ignorant of the fact that their homes are at risk!

Flood Prevention Tips

To make sure you don’t end up joining the growing queue for insurance claims relating to flood damage, here are some steps to take to prevent or limit the amount of water, which is able to enter your property following extreme weather conditions.

• Sandbags are a popular short term fix, which, when used with plastic sheeting, can help to prevent mud and silt from entering the property. However, they are not proven to prevent all water from weeping through.
• If you are aware that a flood situation is likely to occur, it is possible to install guards that will prevent water gaining access to your home via gaps in the front / back / patio doors.
• Ventilation bricks which could potentially provide a pathway for water can be screened off by fitting covers.
• If you are living in a flood prone area, it may be wise to ensure all floors are properly sealed.
• Tactical landscaping so that the garden slopes away from the house can help reduce the amount of water that is able to access the property – be aware that hard landscaping can increase the levels of water ‘runoff’.
• Consider fitting non-return valves in sewage pipes to stop sewage backing up into the house.
• Look at installing a perimeter fence which has built in flood defence qualities.

For further information on flooding visit www.floodforum.org.uk. You can also view areas at risk of flooding on the Environment Agency website www.environment-agency.gov.uk.